Medicine For The Soul
by Wolf On The Rocks
Summary: MonroexOC. Maria is passionate about three things and three things alone; tea, coffee and books. She works in a coffee shop where Monroe begins to frequent. Monroe begins to like her, there's just one problem she's human. This piece was inspired by an RP on tumblr between the OC Maria and Monroe CHAPTER 8 UP
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: So apparently I've found my way back around to Grimm again and I'm bringing you another Monroe/OC Story so if you don't like that type of thing hitch on outta here. This story was inspired by an RP on tumblr with the wonderful Megan Writes Things, who makes an excellent Monroe. She told me to think up some storylines and then well this happened. So enjoy.  
**_

* * *

Monroe finds himself going into the coffee shop up the side street in town a lot more than he used too, partly it's because of Nick. Nick's brought him out of his shell there's no denying that. Monroe never used to exclusively lock himself away, but he was never overly fond of being out either. Monroe often worried he'd lose control at some point, Nick and his continuous invasions have just reminded Monroe that he is in control. He likes this coffee shop because it's quiet and every week they have a new flavour, something different he hasn't tried before.

There's another reason Monroe keeps coming back to the coffee shop though. The same reason he's been coming back in for the last 3 months, a reason that has gone unnoticed by Nick, until that morning.

Nick is trying to hold Monroe's attention. He needs his help, again. There's a Blutbad killing young girls. Dragging them out to the woods, raping them and then, eating them. Nick's trying to tell him, trying to ask his opinion on how best to deal with it and if Monroe will help him track the bastard down but something's distracting Monroe. His eyes keep flickering up to the counter every once in a while.

Nick turns in his seat and sees her. She's tall, not taller than Monroe but tall enough. Brown hair that falls around her shoulders easily. Like she hasn't bothered to try and really do anything with it. She has a pinafore tied around her waist but she's leant back against the counter reading, intently. Nick's seen her before but he's never paid attention to the waitresses, not when he has Juliette at home, she wouldn't be his type anyway. Corky's has never been a busy café and there are only a few waitresses so Nick being a detective should have realised sooner the reason Monroe keeps coming back, but he hasn't. The coffee shop never being very busy which means the girl can relax against the counter and read all she wants. Now Nick knows why Monroe keeps coming in here, he smiles to himself.

'Five minutes of your time then you can go back to staring at the bookworm over there.' Nick says jokingly watching Monroe start to protest and then scowl at him.

'I'm not staring.' Monroe says low so she can't hear them, it's still pretty quiet even with the radio on.

'Monroe, you've been watching her for the last twenty minutes or so.' Nick replies smirking at his friend. 'I bet you haven't heard a word I've said.' He mocks a nagging tone.

'I have and I was just trying to see what she was reading.' Monroe says.

'Took you an awful long time, what is that she's reading then?' Nick asks him playfully and turns in his seat. Monroe resists the urge to kick him under the table and instead scratches the back of his head nervously when she looks over at them. She gives them a small smile asks if they need anything and goes back to reading.

'Don't.' Monroe says warningly at Nick. He's never been in this kind of situation with Nick before but he's had friends like Nick before and he knows full well he's going to do something to embarrass him. Monroe isn't a timid guy or one who lacks confidence, in fact he's very comfortable with himself but the awkwardness created by _these_ sorts of situations makes him really uncomfortable.

'So this Blutbad? Will you help me track him then?' Nick asks and Monroe nods. Of course he will. He's not going to refuse a hand in helping catch the sick son of a bitch.

'Do you want me to move these for you?' A soft voice ask them, suddenly appearing at the table. 'Would you like anything else?' She adds smiling at them.

Yes, yes I would like something else, I'd like a date. Monroe thinks to himself, he's not going to ask her though. Especially not in front of Nick, that and he barely knows her, things always seem to get in the way when he tries to talk to her.

'No thanks,' It's Nick who replies and Monroe starts to feel awkward because he has a horrible feeling that Nick is going to say something out of turn and he's going to feel awkward and embarrassed. 'Hey what were you reading? Seemed pretty engrossing?' He asks giving Monroe a smile that makes Monroe want to punch him.

The girl blushes, she shouldn't really be reading when there are customers in but Martin the manager doesn't mind and it's not like they needed attending too.

'The Body in The Library, it's an Agatha Christie novel. A Miss Marple one, my favourite in fact. You know all quaint villages in England with murder and scandal and all those sorts of things. A really, really brilliant mystery you can get your teeth int-' she stops suddenly realising she's babbling and blushes again but Monroe nods in agreement and he likes the way she gets so enthusiastic about it how her eyes light up.

Nick resists the urge to roll his eyes. He's seen that look before. On Monroe's face when he's talking about Wesen or offering him knowledge he doesn't have, she's got to be so nerdy about books, he can tell by the way her eyes light up. He refrains from rolling his eyes again because he can tell why Monroe likes her, from Monroe's point of view anyway. From his own, she's not much to look at. She's too plain and barely any curves, no red hair, she seems reserved too.

'Sorry.' She blushes again. 'Do you need anything else?' She asks changing the subject.

'No that's it thanks.' Nick smiles and Monroe watches her scuttle off over to the counter.

'So that's why we keep coming back here and there was me thinking it was the millions of different coffees and the fact we can half have a conversation in here.' Nick mused when they were outside.

'So this Blutbad, when do you want me to meet you to start hunting?' Monroe asks changing the subject and Nick doesn't push the subject because it's clearly making him feel uncomfortable and it's odd seeing Monroe so uneasy with himself because normally he's so comfortable with himself and he's not phased by much if anything.

Monroe goes in the next day even though he's feeling rough. He's tired and a little grouchy because they stayed out all night hunting and still didn't catch that evil Blutbad. The sight of the coffee shop girl smiling and chatting animatedly to one of her friends with a book in her hands just makes him smile. He knows he needs to find out her name, actually talk to her but he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't want to sound stupid and she's human which complicates things all over the shop and he knows deep down he shouldn't even be trying to talk to her.

'Do you not diet at all?' The other woman asks, she's thin as a rake with long legs but Monroe knows she's probably already had the 'I need to diet. I'm too fat, no you're not.' Exchange, he hates that, he finds it annoying and whiney.

His coffee shop girl, t_he _coffee shop girl - he corrects himself internally - gestures to her book and the other woman looks intrigued by it.

'Why what diet book is that?' She asks her.

'No, I'd never diet. I couldn't stand not being able to have pancakes and waffles dipped in chocolate sauce and hot chocolate.' She lets out a slow hmmm, noise and Monroe finds he likes it.

'No I meant reading. If I didn't read so much I'd be as big as a house. The thing is when I find a really good book I just seem to forget how to function properly, food, drink, sleep go out of the window.' She says and Monroe can see her face light up again and he likes that too. The friend rolls her eyes, thanks her for the coffee and leaves. Her he doesn't like, too much make-up and high heels she can't walk in properly.

'Hi, what can I get you?' She smiles brightly at him, customer smile on her face. Monroe knows the difference by now, he's seen the two, the one when she's talking enthusiastically and the one when she's just being nice.

'How's the coffee?' He asks and he can't hide the disappointment in his voice that she's not giving him the real smile. Nick made a joke last night about him being a creepy stalker sitting in there and not talking to her but he's not, he's really not. He just hasn't found the right moment or he can't think of something to say to hold her interest. Now he's thinking about that, what if she does think he's stalking her or something weird like that. Now Monroe does feel awkward.

'Well the espresso's running around like a lunatic, the Irish coffee's more than a little tipsy. Decafs gone all melancholic and Mocha's moaning about how the chocolate will go straight to her hips.' She gives him a smile and then looks at him again. 'Sorry.' She mutters because it was a bad joke.

'Don't be that was quite clever.' Monroe smiled back at her. 'Just give me whatever.' he pauses waiting for a name and waiting for her to take the bait.

'Maria.' She smiles back at him. 'Well we've got this great new one called a Dirty Chai and you look like you could do with the boost Mr?' she pauses waiting for his name and then seems to realise something. 'Not that you look horrible, I didn't mean that, you look nice, I mean.' Maria babbles and blushes. She brings her hand to her forehead and Monroe chuckles at her.

'I just meant that, you don't look bad, but you look like you could use a boost.' Maria says.

'That sounds good, and yes I could do with the boost thank you. It's Monroe by the way.' He smiles at her. 'Just Monroe.' He adds and gives her a small nod.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: So apparently I've found my way back around to Grimm again and I'm bringing you another Monroe/OC Story so if you don't like that type of thing hitch on outta here. This story was inspired by an RP on tumblr with the wonderful Megan Writes Things, who makes an excellent Monroe. She told me to think up some storylines and then well this happened. So enjoy.  
**_

* * *

Monroe's been mulling it over in his mind, Maria. It fits her well that name, Maria, it just suits her. First name out of the way now to strike up conversation is what his brain keeps telling him but he never manages, not on that day and he doesn't got back for at least 3 days because Nick calls, then he has to rush to finish all these clocks and has to get birthday presents shipped back home.

'Hey.' She smiles at him when he arrives at the counter just before dinner time, he'll finish the other clocks later. Monroe finds it's not the usual just a customer smile she gives him, he's been upgraded to the regulars smile. He does know the difference of course he does. There's a voice in his head, Nick's voice and it's chanting stalker in a singsong voice because Nick has teased him a little. About not just the fact he likes her but the fact that Monroe a big old scary Blutbad is afraid of asking a girl out. It's given Nick plenty of entertainment over the past few days.

'Hey.' He beams back.

'The usual or can I tempt you with something else?' She asks and Monroe knows she doesn't mean anything else by it and that it's not supposed to come out flirty but there's a part of him that wants to say yes, yes actually.

'What else you got?' He asks sticking his hands into his pockets and rocking a little with a smile on his face.

'Swiss Almond Chocolate flavoured coffee, Chocolate and raspberry, rum baba, death by chocolate then all the usual suspects. No partner today?' Maria inquires watching Monroe with intrigue.

'He's not my partner.' Monroe replies looking at her curiously, did she really think him and Nick were in a relationship. 'I mean not that there's anything wrong with it but we're just friends.' He adds trying to be politically correct.

'Oh no, no I meant cop partner. I mean personally I didn't think you were a cop, I'd guess college professor not that you couldn't be a cop and I wasn't pressing you for information, god no. I mean that would be none of my business if he was your y'know partner. I only know he's a cop because I've seen the bad-' Maria pauses her babbling for a moment and flushes her cheeks turning pink. She turns and starts making coffee and then puts a cup in front of Monroe who smirks and raises an eyebrow at her because he finds how carried away she gets with herself rather cute.

'I didn't tell you what I wanted.' Monroe says supressing a laugh. Maria looks at him for a moment and then becomes even more flustered.

'No, no you're right I didn't sorry.' She brings her hand up to her head and she can feel herself getting flustered. It's a bad habit of Maria's that she can't seem to break, babbling and then realising what she's actually saying. Then worrying and apologising for what she's said. She tries to rein it in, rein the excitement in about books and coffee and tea, the babbling too but she can't. Then she ends up regretting it. Maria would be lying if she says she hasn't noticed Monroe around, of course she has. He's tall and handsome with broad shoulders and he's intelligent. Very intelligent, she can tell that from the books he reads and she likes the way he nods at her when she hands him a coffee.

Maria has taught herself though that people like her are destined to remain alone in their apartments, because people don't want to talk about books and coffee and tea. People expect you to have other hobbies that require leaving the house and differing from books. Everything in the end for Maria comes back down to one of those three things.

'It's ok, I'll take it, which one did you give me?' Monroe asks.

'Erm, Almond one, are you sure? I can swap it?' She asks him in reply feeling guilty.

'No, I'm good I'll take it.' Monroe smiles as he waits for his change and then goes and sits in his little spot in the corner, by the window. Where he knows he can see the counter from and the rest of the café without having to turn.

Maria tries to avoid him for as long as possible feeling like an idiot, she hates feeling attracted to people it makes everything awkward and on some level it plants a false hope in one's mind. Especially when someone is nice to you, so Maria tells herself Monroe might not be married (no ring) but he must definitely have a girlfriend. Some intelligent teacher, who's a scientist or something. Maybe even a boyfriend. If not the cop then someone else. Eventually Maria has to clean the tables near his though because over lunch the café gets a little busy and there's plates left over there.

'Do you really think I'm a college professor?' Monroe asks pausing in reading his book. He watches her cleaning. Part of him wants to get up and offer to help clear the dishes away. Even if it is her job and he has to remind himself that she's _a _coffee shop girl not _his_ coffee shop girl.

'Just a feeling.' She shrugs restraining herself and her Miss Marple deductions. Monroe can tell she's holding something back though.

'That can't be it.' Monroe says watching her curiously as she deposits the plates on the side and returns with the antibacterial spray. 'Come on, tell me.' He asks giving her a warm smile.

'Erm,' Maria stops for a moment. 'Well there are the books. You read an awful lot and a lot of varied stuff.'

'You're one to talk!' Monroe teases and Maria blushes.

'I just mean sometimes you have textbooks, not that I've been watching I just notice these things. Then there's the clothes an-' she stops because she doesn't know what else to say she figured cop or college professor.

'My clothes?' Monroe asks and he's teasing gently again testing his boundaries because he's actually talking to her. Well it's at least half a conversation but it's still half a victory and she's not bored with him.

'You know. The waistcoats and the shirts and the cardigans, not that it's not a good look because it is, not that I'm saying I like it.' Crap Maria curls inwards at her own words and cringes because she sounds so forward and she's not. 'I didn't mean it like that, I sound forward, which I'm not at all. I just mean it's a good look on you. Not in a flirty way, I'm not flirti-' Maria can feel her cheeks burning as she tries to back track and she's so grateful for the entrance of a customer. Monroe is amused though, he half takes it as a compliment. Yet at the same time he feels a little sorry for her because when he gets carried away he's unapologetic about it. He's comfortable with himself and he doesn't see why he should be ashamed about liking something. Clearly Maria does though, Monroe wonders if someone's drilled it into her that she has to be ashamed of getting excited about liking things.

'I'm a clockmaker by the way.' He says before he leaves, 'not a professor, sorry to disappoint you.' He smiles teasingly at her. He watches the small 'O' she makes with her mouth and then his phone rings, it's Nick. He sighs and gives her a small nod answering it as he leaves.

A clockmaker, interesting, Maria thinks to herself. It certainly explains the books on clocks though because she's seen those a few times and even once or twice she's had a quick peek when he left one there by accident or he's gone to the bathroom. Not that she could understand it but it's definitely interesting. She fingers the pocket watch in her pocket, the broken one, the one that needs fixing. The one that's a key to more conversation with Monroe which she hopefully won't mess up, that last thought catches her off guard and she tries to ignore it and the voice in her head telling her all the reasons Monroe is cute.

* * *

When Monroe climbs into Nick's car Nick raises his eyebrows at him. He's asking him what happened without actually asking him.

'What?' Monroe says mocking annoyance. 'Come on dude, I do have another job you know.'

'Taken to stalking full time now have we?' Nick jokes and Monroe scowls at him because he doesn't like that accusation. Monroe lets out a sigh of relief when Nick pulls away from the coffee shop because he's a little worried Nick's going to go in there and ask Maria for him. Which he's also joked about.

'I'm not stalking her.' Monroe says quietly.

'So, you have her name yet? Conversation?' Nick asks lightly.

'She's called Maria.' Monroe says. Nick looks at him expecting more, Nick's known Monroe long enough now to class him as a friend, a good friend. A best friend, although Nick doesn't like that term it doesn't sound right close friend sounds somewhat better.

'That's it? That's all you got, I can get more than that from her police record Monroe!' Nick sounds exasperated with his friend.

'Dude, you wouldn't.' Monroe eyeballs him because he can't think of anything more awkward than mentioning something he's read when she hasn't said anything about it.

'No but I could, I don't see what the big deal is, just ask her out already.' Nick shrugs and then reaches onto the back seat and grabs a file almost throwing it at Monroe. 'You ever heard of a Stein Schlangen?' Nick asks him.

'Oh dude, don't tell me we're chasing one of those things. I hope you did your research first because if not we need to go to the trailer.' Monroe replies his brow furrowing as he looks over the file. It was missing persons, not a murder case. Nick looks at him raising an eyebrow because he doesn't believe it can be that bad, but then again Nick never does.

'Dude, trust me, trailer. We need mirrors and a sword.' Monroe adds. 'You've heard of Medusa right?' Monroe asks to Nick's vacant expression, Nick nods turning off the road to take the usual route towards the trailer.

'These things are like Medusa, only very real. Something in their venom just turns you're body to stone, well practically to stone, that's been debated whether it's actually stone or not. Point is, one of these spits at you, you gotta move fast and don't look em in the eyes because that's how they get you under their creepy spell.' Monroe shudders. 'What has Medusa got to do with this though?' Monroe asks gesturing to the file.

'There's a warehouse on the outskirts of town, a shop of sorts and statues of missing people have been turning up. The owner half changed in front of me, she says they're old statues and she's bringing them out of storage to try and sell.'

'But you think that they're the actual people. Ok I got it, we're gunna kick some Stein Schlangen ass.' Monroe cuts Nick off and then scratches his beard a little. 'Mirrors, a sword and maybe pepper spray.' Monroe muses as they drive along.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: So apparently I've found my way back around to Grimm again and I'm bringing you another Monroe/OC Story so if you don't like that type of thing hitch on outta here. This story was inspired by an RP on tumblr with the wonderful Megan Writes Things, who makes an excellent Monroe. She told me to think up some storylines and then well this happened. So enjoy.  
**_

* * *

Monroe leaves it a few days before he goes back and when he does go back he's half grumpy as he orders his coffee. A feeling that isn't helped by the fact that there's a klaustreich hanging around the café and he's hit on every girl in there apart from Maria so far.

Monroe watches his every move, annoyed that he's even in there. Can he not feel or smell Monroe's presence. Monroe knows if Maria was his, the Klaustreich wouldn't be anywhere near her. Then there's Maria herself, Monroe has to keep repeating to himself, he has to keep reminding himself that Maria is not his and she's unawares of what either of them are. Monroe has to remind himself that she's unaware of what danger actually lurks within the confines of the café.

Monroe can't keep the anger and he supposes a little jealousy out of his voice when he speaks to her though, no matter how hard he tries, because Maria is just being Maria. Nice, friendly, chatty over enthusiastic and easily embarrassed Maria.

Maria notices the change in his actions towards her and she honestly thinks she's done something wrong. She thinks he's upset with her for some reason or another and so the pocket watch sits in her apron for another few days because she can't pluck up the courage to ask him. She watches him reading a book about the romans for a while playing with the pocket watch. Maria toys with idea of sliding into the booth next to him and then sighs and gives up. She's not confident enough too for a start.

She's soon distracted as the rather tall and somewhat aesthetically handsome man steps up to the till again, trying to ask her to dinner again. He's not her type at all, everything he says comes out false and like he's trying to flatter. He's got a square jaw and smooth skin and just looks like a jock. When he does speak it's not endearing and doesn't make Maria like him anymore. She knows she's a last resort too and that doesn't feel nice.

'Monroe?' She says as he puts the cup down and she resists the urge to reach out and touch his hand. 'Erm, I, well I have a favour to ask.' She plays with her hands and looks at him nervously before pulling the watch out of her apron. 'You're a clockmaker right? Do you think you could fix this, it was my grandfather's?' Maria watches his eyes go wide as he picks it up carefully.

'Woah dude, this is a 1930's three calendar Harry Huntington's pocket watch. This has got to be from at least early 30's, at least. Did you say this was your grandad's?' He asks a little excited.

'Erm, I, yes it was my Grandad's, he left it to me in his will and it stopped working about two weeks ago. I just thought because, well, I just thought you might be the first person I should ask.' Maria says a little shyly and a blush creeps up onto her cheeks.

'I'd love to take a look at it.' Monroe positively beams back at her and he's flattered that he is the first person she's thought of. Then again how many clockmakers are there in Portland. Maria can feel his excitement at being given the watch to look at. Monroe's cell phone rings in his pocket and he looks down at it and furrows his brow, it's Nick about this damn Stein Schlangen, which they hadn't managed to catch and who was still on the loose. 'Oh crap, I gotta go. I'll take it with me? Is that ok?' Monroe asks smiling at her and Maria nods.

'Wait Monroe you didn't say how much it'll be.' She asks him because she does need to know that, she's not exactly got an endless pot of money and that watch is more about sentiment than anything else.

'No charge.' He smiles and winks at her.

'I can't let you do that!' Maria says following him towards the door.

'Already done.' He smiles at her and then waves to leave.

* * *

Monroe is walking back, running back from the encounter with the Stein Schlangen because once again Hank has shown up and Monroe has had to make a dash from the scene. He's just passing the café which he knows is open until at least 11 at night. He looks up hoping to see Maria even though he knows she finished her shift at least 6 if not 7 hours ago. Something doesn't feel right though, its quarter to eleven and only half of the chairs are up on the tables, there's a cloth left on the table and the door says open, yet there's no one inside. A million scenarios run through Monroe's head at once. The fact that a Klaustreich has been in doesn't make this any easier and then suddenly he hears a scream, a terrified scream and he doesn't even need to think as his eyes bleed to red and he pushes the door open a little roughly.

'Hello?' He says into the darkness but there's no reply. Monroe looks around and says it again. He makes his way around the counter and see's Maria on the work top before he spots what's crawling along the floor. Her eyes are wide with terror and she can barely breathe.

'Maria, are you ok?' He asks slowly. Maria looks down to the floor and then tries to move further back against the wall. Then he sees it, it's a huge dark brown spider. Probably just a little smaller than his hands and it's crawling along the floor slowly towards her. It's minding its own business but Monroe can see how terrified Maria is and he thinks it's kind of cute.

He picks a large clear mixing jug off the side slowly, trying not to scare the thing and he notices Maria flinch. Monroe doesn't like spiders any more than the next person but seeing how upset Maria is by the thing he slips the jug over it quickly and then takes the laminated health and safety sheet off the side slipping it under the jug and being careful not to take any legs off the thing and then picks it up and throws it outside.

When Monroe returns Maria is still cowering in the corner and she's gone very pale her breathing uneasy. Monroe steals a paper bag off the side and puts an arm around her shoulders trying to shift her from the side. She tentatively puts her feet on the floor.

'Maria, breathe into this, deep breaths.' He says and he rubs her back a soothingly, but it's not having the effect he wants and she keeps twitching like she's imagining the spider is crawling on her and he knows that feeling. Monroe needs to come up with something to distract her. Distract her from the huge spider which is probably now lying in wait in someone else's shop.

'Maria, why don't you tell me about your favourite place? Think about that instead.' Monroe says trying to take the focus away from the spider and take her eyes off the floor where she's still staring. She looks at him for a moment and then takes a breath.

'Two blocks from here,' She breathes in deeply again trying to regain control of her brain and her breathing. 'There's a book shop.' She takes another breath and Monroe nods.

'Tell me more.' He says giving her a warm smile.

'It smells amazing, books and dust and there's all these little corners you can get lost in and you have to hunt for books.' Suddenly Maria feels she can breathe again and she gives Monroe a faint smile and realises the spider has gone. A shiver runs down her spine and she realises Monroe has a hand on her arm and another on her back rubbing them both soothingly.

'Maybe you can show it me sometime?' Monroe watches her for a moment checking she's ok. 'I mean if your boyfriend doesn't mind.' He can't help how thick and awkward the word comes out of his mouth because he really hopes that, _that thing_ isn't actually her boyfriend because he might have to hunt him out one night. Follow him home maybe get Nick to turn a blind eye.

'Boyfriend?' Maria lets out a disbelieving laugh. 'I don't have a boyfriend.'

'Oh, I just assumed. Y'know, the guy that comes in a lot.' Monroe says awkwardly scratching the back of his head and not making eye contact with her. Releasing his grip, Maria resists the urge to say _you're a guy who comes in a lot_.

'What? Monroe there are a lot of guys who come in here a lot, including a man who's old enough to be my granddad.' Maria says raising an eyebrow at him and then moving back into the café to begin turning over chairs and cleaning tables, Monroe begins helping her.

'Well I mean, you kn-' Monroe trails off and Maria looks at him curiously. Why did he care?

'Do you mean that oaf who looks like he stepped out of some tacky romance novel?' Monroe looks at her a little sheepishly and Maria raises her eyebrows. 'Monroe guys like that don't look twice at girls like me and even if they did he wouldn't be my type.' Maria states firmly, calmly and Monroe likes it because he knows she's not searching for compliments with that first line. Yet he still wants to tell her that any guy would be crazy not to want her.

'Oh?' Monroe says pausing in putting a chair on the table and he finds himself watching her again as she talks.

'Definitely not, I mean, every time the guy opens his mouth it makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm a Sapiosexual.' She grins and Monroe continues to watch her intrigued.

'I'm attracted to intelligence,' Maria adds, 'amongst other things.' She blushes, her cheeks turning a light pink. They continue in silence and soon all the chairs are up and Maria is locking up.

'Thank you.' She smiles turning to Monroe.

'Just doing my job.' He smiles, nods and sticks his hands into his pockets rocking a little and wondering what he should do. Offer to walk her home, offer to drive her home, aside from the fact he doesn't have the car with him. Walking home it is.

'I didn't realise being a clockmaker entailed saving stupid women from spiders.' Maria chuckles.

'Well, that's not in the description of my day job I must admit but the night job, well that's a little different.' Monroe smirks.

'Oh so you've got the whole superhero thing going on.' She finishes locking the door and turns to find him waiting. 'Which way's home for you?' she asks. 'Not that I want to know, I just mean if we're going to be going the same way anyway we can walk the same way. If you want.' Maria babbles again. 'I mean I'm going this way, my apartment is a few blocks, not that I'm inviting you to my apartme-' Maria stops and brings her hand to her face again.

'I'm going this way too,' Monroe just smiles at her. Ignoring the comments that have gotten her flustered, but he's also trying not to think about how cute she actually looks when she's flustered. 'And I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't ensure a lady got home safe without spider bites.' Monroe adds.

'So you are a superhero.' Maria says letting her arms swing a little entertaining the idea.

'Oh I don't know about superhero, I could still be a villain and a gentleman.' Monroe replies.

'Well I think I could handle that.' Maria says giving him a sly smirk.

'How come you're working so late?' Monroe asks shifting the conversation because he knows deep down in his heart of hearts he shouldn't even be here. He shouldn't be walking with her like this and his father has always warned him about mixing with human girls. His mother has raised him to believe humans are meals. Monroe is human though, he might be wesen but he is human. He shakes his head and manages to catch the fact that someone has called in sick which is why Maria has had to work late.

All to soon they're outside Maria's apartment block and it's awkward because it's so late and Maria wants to invite him in for coffee but she doesn't want to look like a fool. They hover in the doorway awkwardly for a minute.

'Ok, well I'll be off then. I'll see you tomorrow maybe.' He gives her a small wave before turning.

'Monroe, how much is the watch going to cost?' She asks him again.

'I told you, it's already sorted.' Monroe replies because he doesn't want to charge her for it. He's more than happy to help. He realises however that he can use it to his advantage.

'I can't let you do that, if I wasn't paying you it would be someone else.' Maria says. She comes halfway back down the steps up to the building.

'How about you show me that bookshop sometime? Then we'll call it even.' Monroe says.

'That's not payment.' Maria says furrowing her brow and Monroe has to bite back the voice inside that's saying he can think of other ways she can pay him.

'Maybe you can buy me a book too.' He winks at her. Maria's insides flutter a little and she nods eagerly at him. She hugs him and Monroe's not normally a hugger but he finds himself pulling her deeper into it and inhaling her scent.

'Thank you.' She says and she kisses his cheek lightly and then blushes feeling inappropriate. She babbles a little but Monroe waves her off. Maria falls into bed that night holding onto one of her books tightly and grinning like the Cheshire cat. Monroe goes home and falls asleep at the workbench, he wants to get this clock finished asap because he wants to see her favourite place and maybe even try and take her out for dinner. He finds himself looking in the mirror and thinking hmm so she's attracted to intelligence. I'm a pretty smart guy. He vows to go in the café with a few Shakespeare works or something difficult to read or that showcases his intelligence.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: Sorry this took so long been a little ill this week so, yeah sorry about that hope you enjoy =)  
**_

* * *

Maria's drumming her fingers on the counter and reading to herself when she feels a tug and the book is suddenly gone from her hands.

'This book any good?' The familiar face gives her an odd grin, it annoys her. He's arrogant and annoying. Looks like a jock and he keeps coming back in because he thinks Maria will give in eventually. Maria rolls her eyes and tries to tug it back.

'Well if I was allowed to finish it.' She says annoyed. The guy gives her a toothy grin and pulls the book away from her easily holding it in the air and Maria sighs. How old is this guy really?

'You know there's a movie of this right?' He says, his name is Blue or at least that's what he's told her and every girl in there, whilst raising his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. He's becoming more and more annoying. The other waitresses that work in there have turned him down already twice, Maria is the last resort and she's single, he knows she's single and he figures she's desperate. Reckons she has cats and Maria knows he thinks all this but even if she were desperate she wouldn't stoop to this level. Not to him. He literally has nothing going for him. The very fact there's nothing nice about him is a turn off. He is in every sense of the word a classic stereotypical jock and what's worse is he plays up to this ideal and actually believes that women should like it, should fall at his feet.

'I know.' Maria replies slowly arms crossed and thoroughly unimpressed she holds her hand out for the book.

'Then you should let me show it you instead of reading this boring thing.' He says and then he does something unforgivable, he throws the book in the bin. Her newly purchased, old, roughed up, version of Jurassic Park. Maria frowns annoyed and looks towards the bin.

'No thank you.' She says politely but she's scowling as she picks the book out of the bin and wipes what she suspects is yoghurt off the corner, thankful no one has been in for anything more than a sandwich. Maria knows he's looking for easy prey and he thinks she's it, she's not though and he'll get bored eventually.

Monroe notices the scowl on Maria's face when he comes in and sees her picking the book out of the bin and wonders why it's ended up there and then he sees the Klaustreich leaning on the counter. He breathes deeply and waits patiently.

'Excuse me other customers are waiting, is there anything else?' Maria asks, ignoring Blue's request for the cinema again. Blue takes himself over to a seat close to the counter.

Blue is thinking of giving up, that is until Monroe comes in and suddenly it's no longer about getting laid, it's just become more of a challenge, a competition and Blue likes competition because he likes being the Alpha. He watches them intently. So the Blutbad has an interest in her? Now it's a challenge, not just a challenge but now he realises he can have some fun and make his daddy proud. He knows if he can win out over a Blutbad that he'll make his father proud.

'Is he bothering you?' Monroe frowns as he steps up to the counter. Watching Maria continue to try and wipe the yogurt off the book before she puts it down on the side.

'Nothing I can't handle.' Maria smiles, even though it probably is a little more than she can handle because she's not much of a fighter not at all, or one for confrontation and Blue is bigger than her a lot bigger and intimidating and even though she refuses to let the little voice in her that is intimidated win out. It's still winning out.

'I have something for you.' Monroe smiles and he dangles the watch from between his fingers allowing it to swing a little and making tick-tock noises.

'You fixed it!' She beams at him and hugs him awkwardly across the counter as Monroe hands it to her.

'I believe you owe me a tour of a bookstore.' Monroe replies rocking a little with his hands back in his pockets.

'Are you sure you wouldn't rather just have the money?' Maria asks him because she feels guilty.

'I told you, the tour and a book will suffice.' Monroe smiles back at her. 'I can't stop though, got a cuckoo clock approaching it's time of the day to deliver and you know how angry those things can get.' Monroe leans in and Maria lets out a small chuckle even though Monroe's attempt at a small joke is absolutely terrible.

'Oh, ok.' Maria can't help the disappointment in her voice, part of it's because she wants him to stick around and then hopefully Blue will get the message.

'Why don't you show me the bookstore tonight, what time do you finish? I mean if you're not busy.' Monroe asks scratching the back of his head and half glancing at Blue who's watching them intently, watching Maria intently.

'Oh, I don't, I don't get off until 5 and the store closes at 6.' Maria says a little disheartened.

'That's ok, you said it was what two blocks? I got a car we could take?' Monroe offers and enjoys the look on Maria's face as it lights up. 'Oh, look I gotta go. I'll see you at 5' Monroe beams as he leaves the café and Maria can't help the smile on her face or the way her insides suddenly feel like someone released a net full of butterflies in there. Maria is grinning and she realises that as Alfred, the old enough to be her grandfather twice over , regular comes up to the counter and beams back at her.

* * *

Blue hangs around, for the rest of his dinner, weighing up in his mind all the ways he can annoy the Blutbad. How he can charm Maria to disappear with him rather than go out with Monroe. Now it's what should be a game of dog and cat. Yet the Blutbad is so subdued and dorky it's a game of cat and mouse now. This excites Blue, plays into his ego, he leaves for the builders yard with a whole new challenge in his mind and this excites him too.

Monroe comes back at five he pulls up in the bug and holds the door open as Maria climbs in. He's taken care to make sure he's moved all the crap off the front seat and into the back. Maria directs him and it takes then less than ten minutes to get to the store. Monroe's not sure he likes the thought of Maria walking up this side alley alone but he has to remind himself again that she's not his to worry about. Not yet.

Monroe can practically feel the excitement rolling off Maria as they approach the store. She goes in first and Monroe follows her, he just stands when he gets in there and looks around. It smells amazing. It's old and dusty and it's two floors of leather and old pages and old wood and this is what Maria smells like, this is what Monroe can smell on Maria, books, old books.

The shop has huge shelves that require ladders to get to the very top and despite this there are still books in piles all over the place. Each shelf has curly gold writing stating what genre you'll find in that section. There are two staircases with books piled on those and Monroe can't help but think _health and safety_. Then there's a counter between them with a till at the back, a till that looks like it's been there since the fifties and needs a key to open it.

'Hey Joe.' Maria calls into the bookstore and Monroe stands with his hands in his pockets for a moment looking around watching Maria run over to the bottom of the stairs.

'Maria! I've not see you in days are you ok?' Joe says coming down the stairs to greet Maria with a hug. Joe is old enough to be her grandpa at least. He's smaller than Maria with a blush to his cheeks and grey hair on the top of his head. He looks about sixty but Monroe suspects he's older than that, he's got small round glasses that sit on his large nose. Monroe gives him a small smile and notices that Joe looks over him as though appraising him.

'I've just been busy working,' Maria smiles at him, 'got anything new?' She asks looking over the books on the counter.

'Not since Friday.' Joe replies and continues to look over Monroe.

'Oh, Joe this is Monroe, my friend, my friend Monroe.' Maria says awkwardly.

'Is he your friend or your _friend_?' Joe asks her coyly with a wink as he moves around the counter. Maria breathes deeply and blushes.

'Just a friend.' Monroe says taking the heat off her and holding out a hand for Joe to shake. Joe gives him an odd look for a moment and then pauses. Monroe thinks it might be something to do with him being a Blutbad for a moment but he doesn't think Joe is a wesen he can't sense it.

'Shame,' he says and shuffles around the desk. 'Not often Maria brings friends around.' Joe adds and he says the word thickly like he knows exactly what Monroe wants from Maria but there's a mischievous glint in his eyes and Monroe likes the way he looks at Maria affectionately like he cares about what she's doing.

'You know if you came and worked for me you'd have time to read every book in here.' Joe teases.

'If I came and worked for you, you'd lose half your business.' Maria teases back and Monroe likes the easy banter they have between the two of them.

'Come on I'll show you around.' Maria says and Monroe can see the excitement in her face again, she's lit up like a Christmas tree. She grabs his hand without thinking and practically pulls him up the stairs. 'Where do you want to start?' She says eagerly with a grin on her face.

Maria shows him every inch of the bookstore all her favourite places, where she likes to sink down and get lost for a few hours until Joe kicks her out. She shows him where all the best books are kept but all too soon Joe calls them, tells them its closing time and he'd keep the shop open but his wife would kill him. When they're outside Monroe suggests dinner and he's ecstatic when Maria says yes. She doesn't see anything wrong with it and they go into a small old fashioned diner down the road and Monroe orders a whole heap of salad while Maria orders something called a mixed omelette. Monroe likes that she's not afraid to eat in front of him because he's been on dates with girls who refused to order anything but bread.

'The first time I read Cujo, scared the crap out of me. Literally did not sleep for weeks. I mean it didn't exactly help that we had a St Bernard and that he usually slept on my bed, had to get my mum to keep him out of my room for weeks. Don't even get me started on when I read Christin-' Maria trails off again, stops talking and Monroe doesn't notice at first because he's laughing with her.

'Oh man, that's the one about the car right?' Monroe replies and he notices she's blushing again, she's stopped talking and he really wishes he could get his hand on the person who made her feel like she has to be embarrassed and apologise every time she gets excited about something.

'Yeah, yeah it is.' Maria says and it's like she's had the wind knocked out of her sails. 'Sorry, babbling is a bad habit.' She smiles weakly at him and then eats some more. Monroe watches her a moment.

'It doesn't seem so bad.' Monroe offers softly and he can't believe that he's sat here in a diner with her and it's getting on for almost half seven.

'Oh it is, trust me.' Maria says rolling her eyes and Monroe doesn't like that, he doesn't like the fact she feels she has to keep apologising for getting passionate about these things.

'Hey, I never bought you your book.' Maria muses looking out of the window for a minute and Monroe wishes he knew what she was thinking.

'I'm sure you can take me back there again, seems like a nice place.' Monroe smiles and Maria is watching the window intently. Monroe looks but can't figure out what she's watching because there's nothing outside.

'What are you looking at?' He asks after a moment.

'First date.' Maria smiles into the reflection of the glass and Monroe dares to hope for a moment that she's talking about them but then he notices the reflection of a couple a few tables over and his head whips round and he sees them in the flesh. The girls overly dressed but she looks pretty and the guys in a suit. He's touching her hand softly and stroking her arm.

'No way, third date at least.' Monroe says shaking his head.

'Nuh uh, look at the way he's sizing her up, he's thinking is she a first date or third date kind of girl.' Maria says letting out a small laugh.

'First date or third date?' Monroe asks raising an eyebrow curiously at her.

'You know, whether she'll give the ending away or make him read a few chapters first.' Maria replies with a smirk. She sticks her folk into her food and twists it around a little before she rests her head on her hand and carries on watching them for a moment. Monroe stops eating and watches Maria. 'Always been a third date kind of girl myself, not that I've got anything against the other kind. I mean I've been there but there's just something more romantic about courting. You know that whole 50's dinner and dancing thing.' Maria bites her lip and Monroe notices her voice has changed. It's calm and almost dreamy yet there's still some sort of excitement underlying it.

'What about them?' Monroe says gesturing to the old couple seated further up who they can also see in the reflection. 'Reckon he's read the ending more than once.' Monroe laughs and sticks a folk full of food in his mouth.

'Them, oh they've been married a long time, probably started off with dinner and dancing and they have kids, Grandchildren too. They come here once, no, no, twice a week because it's where they met.' Maria has a smile on her face, it's not huge but it's there and it's in her eyes too and he likes that it makes him smile too. She looks down at her plate for a moment and he wishes he could tell what she was thinking again because a look passes over her face, it's quick and Monroe doesn't think he's supposed to see it but its there and it's sad.

'Anyway, I owe you a book, any ideas on what you want?' She asks sticking omelette on her fork and eating it.

'Oh man, I haven't thought that far ahead, something Shakespeare maybe?' Monroe says shaking his head.

'As long as it's not Romeo and Juliet, or Macbeth.' Maria rolls her eyes at him.

'Hey what's wrong with Romeo and Juliet?' Monroe teases.

'It's so over done, and boring.' Maria rolls her eyes and Monroe lets out a chuckle at her again.

'Yeah well don't let my old English tutor hear you say that.' Monroe shrugs.

'I'd quite happily argue it out with your old English tutor. Much Ado is a much better story.' Maria smirks at him and Monroe likes that too. His thoughts run away with him a little and he finds himself wishing she was a first date kind of girl but then he shakes that off because he doesn't mean it. This isn't a date either.

'Maybe not Shakespeare then.' Monroe ponders on it for a moment. 'Maybe we'll have to go back there again, I can look around.'

'Maybe we will.' Maria gives him a mischievous grin and continues eating.

They finish the meal and by the time they get out of there its 9:30 and they've gone through, a main, desert and then several cups of coffee and tea. Monroe drives Maria to her apartment and then hops out to hold her door open like a gentlemen. They linger in the doorway for a moment neither knowing what to say because if both of them are being honest neither of them actually wants to say goodbye. Eventually Monroe says an awkward bye and turns to leave and he's halfway down the steps before Maria stops him again.

'Monroe, thank you.' Maria smiles at him.

'For what?' Monroe asks her a little confused.

'I had a nice time, I haven't been out like that in a while, I mean with a friend and by friend I don't mean what Joe meant, I mean, I don't mean, I mean I don't think it meant anything, not in that way. No, God, no.' Maria stops and puts her hand to her forehead again. 'I just meant I had a nice time.'

Monroe watches her and has to resist the urge to put a hand to her cheek where it's a little pink from blushing again. That can't be good for her health he thinks. He nods smiling at her. 'I had a nice time too.' he says. 'I'll see you tomorrow.' He adds and then gives her another nod that makes her insides begin to flutter. She nods enthusiastically and watches him go back to the car. He waits until she's inside before he drives off because then he knows she's safe.

Even though he knows it wasn't a first date Monroe can't help getting ahead of himself a little. Monroe is already planning the next time he's going to take her out, she still owes him a book and now he knows where her favourite place is. He's hoping she has a day off this week and mulling over a half plan as he lies in bed that night trying to read about Beatrice and Benedict but there's too much going on in his brain. Including a small nagging voice in the back of his mind which is telling him just how wrong this all is. That's screaming at him about the fact he's a Blutbad and she's a human.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: Sorry this took so long been a little ill this week so, yeah sorry about that hope you enjoy =)  
**_

* * *

Monroe's thinking about Maria all morning. The feel of her body against his when she hugged him keeps sending a current through his body that makes him want to sigh contentedly and yet hunt her down. He thinks about dinner, about the look, about the way she talked about the other couples and he knows there's so much more to her than just the bookworm or the café girl and now. Now he can actually begin entertaining the idea that she might become _his_ bookworm. He tries to focus on the jobs he has to do. Two pocket watches and a grandfather clock need fixing before the end of the day. The Pocket watches before lunch because after lunch he has to drive out of town to fix this damn grandfather clock.

His mind won't focus though and he slips up several times. In the end he tells himself if he can get the pocket watches done he'll see if Maria wants lunch. He'll even pack a picnic because it's early August and the weathers still been quite warm. This does the trick, his mind begins to focus and co-operate with his hands.

Maria looks less than pleased when Monroe gets to the café. It's fairly busy and there's an extra waitress on but the busyness is mainly due to the builders in the corner and Monroe knows the extra waitress is just there to pick up the extra slack for Maria's lunch. He positively beams at her and feels a little silly with the basket it in his hands. He can also hear Nick in his head making Red Riding jokes. _'Isn't Red Riding Hood supposed to bring the goodies?' _He can hear him laughing at him.

'Hey,' Monroe says as he approaches the counter and Maria's running around and grabbing plates off the side. It takes her a good 2 minutes before she steps in front of him.

'Hey, what can I get you?' She moves the hair out of her face with the back of her hand and smiles at him but it's not the warm smile it was yesterday the one that makes her eyes light up. It's the half one, the one she gives to customers because she _has_ to be nice. She turns and hands a waitress two plates before turning back to him as he speaks.

'I thought you might like lunch.' Monroe smiles and holds up the basket.

'Little busy, sorry.' Maria says sighing deeply as several dirty cups are deposited on the side.

'I can wait.' He smiles at her.

'Don't you have work of your own to do?' She sighs and sounds uncharacteristically annoyed. Monroe looks her over for a second and then shrugs.

'Fine I'll take my basket of goodies elsewhere.' Maria smiles at that it's a small smile but it's still a smile.

'Oh I'm sure grandma would appreciate them.' Maria smirks at him and feels some of the stress eb away because Monroe has this calming effect. It's like he oozes calm and Maria likes it and she likes Monroe. Of course she wants to go out for lunch with him, she's flattered and surprised that he's just turned up and she's honestly hoping he might ask her on a date soon but she doesn't want to get her hopes too high.

'Give me five minutes then I should be able to take my lunch.' Maria says and Monroe nods, sits down and waits he scans the café and wonders what happened to Blue. He's not in,_ oh wait _suddenly he hears him. He's sat with the builders. Monroe watches him for a moment and Blue gestures to him before they all start laughing at something or another. He shrugs it off and ignores it because soon enough Maria's stood in front of him, minus the apron. She's in a blue skirt that floats just a little above her knee and a vest top with a cardigan over the top. Monroe likes this look, it's quaint and just looks like she stole them from a fifties diner girl.

He takes them to the park, underneath a big oak tree at the top of the hill. It's not too far from the café. This spot is relatively quiet in spite of the busy park. Monroe gets there before Maria does and he throws down the blanket then gestures for her to sit and she does with a sigh. He gets bits and pieces out because he's made tofu salad with red pepper cous-cous and for desert blueberry pie, which he shop bought. She's quiet as she eats and Monroe wonders if it's because of last night, then he notices her rubbing her neck and she yawns.

'Rough day?' He asks.

'Not really, just a little busy but I didn't get much sleep last night.' Maria rubs her neck again and twists it from side to side. 'I'm just a little tired and achey sorry.' She apologises.

'Hey don't worry about it we all have out bad days.' Monroe replies.

'This is really, really good by the way.' She nods. 'I can't believe you brought a picnic to work. What prompted this I thought I might have scared you off after last night.' Maria smiles and takes a glance at him before going back to watching everyone else who's in the park.

'It was lunch time, I was passing and hungry, thought you might like to get out of there for a while.' Monroe replies casually because he doesn't want her to think he's been planning it. Maria twists her neck again and rubs her shoulders, taking off her cardigan to get them.

'Are you ok?' He asks her again changing the subject.

'Yeah it just aches.' Maria replies.

'Maybe there's something I can do to help.' Monroe says without thinking. He puts his own plate down and brushes off his hands rubbing them together and then moves and kneels behind her.

'Oh, no, Monroe I don't think.' Maria begins to protest but he ignores her because he's saying something about pilates and yoga and that he's done this sort of thing before.

'Monroe, no, I don't, it's a personal sp-' Maria let's her voice drop as soon as he starts rubbing her shoulders because it feels so good and so nice and it's soothing right down to her very bones. She drops her head back and closes her eyes contentedly as Monroe's hands move across her shoulder.

'Is this part of the superhero thing?' Maria muses trying to keep her thoughts coherent. 'Oh sorry supervillain I forgot.' She lets out a small laugh. 'You know I did this for an ex-boyfriend once, he told me it was like I was massaging him with knives. My talent does definitely not lie there.' Maria says and she gives a contented sigh that Monroe likes and he can feel her shoulders relaxing underneath him and he can feel how warm her skin is under his fingers and he likes that. He wants to kiss them too. He wants to kiss a line over her shoulder and up her neck and his motions become a little lazy as he becomes lost in thoughts that make him take a deep breath. He doesn't want to stop though because he likes the sounds she's making.

'So what's got you so tense? You seemed ok last night?' He asks trying to take some of the focus off what his hands are doing as they move across her back and he's glad she's sat up rather than lay on her front right now.

'Stuff looked like it had been moved around when I got back.' Maria says casually and she hums but Monroe stops because he doesn't like that, he doesn't like the idea someone's been in her house. 'I think I moved it before I left, it's this stupid book I'm reading it's messing with my head a little. I can see it all you know, as I read, I can see everything and it stays with me I can't just turn it off. The idea settles itself in there.' She adds and she hums again and tilts her head back as his hands work on her lower back.

'You know, I'm becoming indebted to you Monroe, I'm going to owe you another book after this.' She smiles to herself because she doesn't mind being indebted to him not at all. Suddenly a ball lands on the blanket and a skinny young boy comes running over to collect it and the moment is broken. Monroe takes his hands away and just thinks for a moment about what he was doing. She might not even like him in that way and there he is getting his hopes up. Monroe's mid-thought when suddenly Maria stands up and that's when he sees him. A guy who's shorter than Monroe only by an inch or two though and taller than Maria, he's in a suit and he's stocky. Broad shoulders and a thick jawline and forehead that just makes Monroe think of the word brooding.

'Harvey!' Maria cries and she goes running towards him, the guy lifts her easily into a hug and spins her around once then pulls back to inspect her.

'Man, you look good cher.' Harvey says giving her a warm smile and hugging her again. Harvey looks over to Monroe and gives him a small nod and Maria suddenly remembers he's there too.

'Oh, yes, Harvey this is my friend Monroe, Monroe this is Harvey West.' Maria beams and Monroe smiles up at the guy as he racks his brain for where he's heard the name before because he's sure he has.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. When your boss said you were out here, he didn't say on a date.' Harvey says looking at the spread and then back to Maria curiously. Maria blushes again because she wishes it was a date.

'It's not a date, not like that, not a date date I mean.' Maria half babbles and Harvey raises an eyebrow at her.

'Wait a minute you're thee Harvey West?' Monroe says the name suddenly clicking, this guys a lawyer and from what he's read in the papers a very high class lawyer. He's saved a lot of people's asses and done a lot of good work for people who can't really afford it. The company he works for has done a lot of work helping wesen out.

'Yes, well I can see your busy I'm sure we can meet later.' Harvey says to Maria his hand still on her arm and Monroe has to remind himself that she isn't his. He hasn't even taken her on a real date yet.

'Hey, no dude, you've done a lot of good for a lot of people I'm sure we can spare some food.' Monroe smiles at him and while he knows the guy is decent enough he's still half hoping he won't stick around.

'No, no I won't intrude, especially not if you only have about half an hour left of your dinner.' Harvey smiles it's half charming and endearing. Monroe can see exactly how he makes people feel at ease. 'I'll see you tonight maybe cher?' He asks hopefully and Monroe knows he shouldn't be jealous but he half wants Maria to look to him and ask if they weren't doing anything.

'Of course, I mean I don't have anything planned.' Maria positively beams at Harvey and Monroe can see there's history there and he can see that this man knows Maria. He knows things about her that Monroe hasn't even touched on yet and it annoys him. It's so hard to be annoyed by the guy though because he's not like Blue at all. Blue seems to have given up moved onto a girl who came in the café earlier with too big earrings and a lot of fake tan. A girl who definitely took a shine to him, Monroe should have warned her off really but A) it's none of his business and B) it means he doesn't have to worry about Maria.

'You're Dad said you're still at the apartment he got you, cher. Although he did say it probably more resembles a library now.' Harvey leans forward. 'Which I can believe of you cher.'

'Oh, erm, yeah, yeah.' Maria says and she blushes because people get a little funny about money and when they learn that your parents are rich and she feels a little embarrassed now.

'I'll bring dinner then, about 7.' Harvey smiles and hugs her before leaning down to shake Monroe's hand. 'It was nice to meet you Monroe.' Harvey says holding out a hand for him to shake and Monroe does and nods and says bye He's glad the guys going and he's also glad that he still has just under half an hour left of Maria's dinner.

'So if he works with your dad. That means your dad works for Statchmen's lawfirm.' Monroe says as Maria sets herself back on the sofa and takes the pie off him that he hands her.

'Owns.' Maria says coyly and Monroe almost spits his pie all over the rug because Statchmen's is the company that's help countless wesen against prejudiced judges. It's a company well known for charitable donations too and Monroe can't help but feel a little in awe and he looks at Maria curiously because she looks half ashamed and apologetic.

'Your Dad owns Stachmen's Lawfirm? Are you serious? Oh man and here's me giving you crappy shop bought three dollar pie.' Monroe grimaces.

'Hey don't knock three dollar pie and it's a little complicated.' Maria says shyly.

'Your dad bought you your apartment can't be that complicated.' Monroe scoffs and Maria scowls at him because she never asked for that, she got given it as a graduation present. 'Most my dad ever buys me these days is birthday card if I'm lucky.'

'Ok yes, just get the jokes out of the way ok. My dad has a lot of money. It's not something I can help.' Maria says and she looks downcast like it's annoying her.

'Hey I'm not knocking it, not everyone can be well off.' Monroe says holding his hands up.

'I'm not, it's my dad's money not mine.' Maria replies. Monroe falls silent for a moment sensing she's uncomfortable.

'So you and Harvey?' He says slowly and regrets it immediately because he sounds stupid.

'What, no, no me and Harvey are just friends, old friends. I actually met him when I was 8 and he was 9 and a half.' Maria smiles at him. 'His uncle worked with my dad and then eventually Harvey interned with my dad.' Maria adds before taking another forkful of pie.

Monroe doesn't find much else out, nothing he hasn't read in the papers anyway. He's itching to know more about her family about her mother and father. He's always just assumed that the owner of Stechmen's is a wesen because of all the good work they do but now he thinks maybe he's just a kind citizen. He must be a good man whatever he is to have raised someone like Maria.

When he packs up the picnic and walks her back to work she gives him another hug and this time he's grateful for it and holds on a little too long. Then she gives him a kiss on the cheek and he feels his insides turn to mush because he wants to turn and kiss her and hold her properly but he can't. He watches her return to the café and then knows it's time for him to go back to work too.

* * *

Monroe goes to fix the grandfather clock and it's in a huge old manor house and the woman is a doddery old lady in her nineties at least who wants it fixing, even when he says it'll take two weeks to find the right part. She tells him money's no issue and then brings him a cup of the most disgusting tea he's ever tasted before proceeding to quiz him about his life, about where his wedding ring is? Where he lives? Are his mother and father proud? Monroe is polite, he answers and he likes when she gets talking about the second world war because she's a fountain of knowledge and she even shows him a thing or two she's saved.

Monroe can't help thinking about how Maria's night is going to go on the drive home. He can't help thinking about the fact that Harvey and Maria are going to be in her apartment, all night, alone. Well maybe not all night but still most of the night. Maria's apartment a place he hasn't seen the inside of yet and they're going to be drinking wine too and they might get a little drunk. Monroe shakes his head when he gets too this point because it actually hurts to think about. He was trying to be a gentlemen. Take things slow but now he thinks maybe he should have asked her out on a date sooner. He hopes as he trudges inside the house that Maria isn't currently letting Harvey make use of her bed. He tries to get rid of the thoughts and reads but it doesn't do much good and instead he comes up with a plan to ask her on a sort of date.

Monroe stares at his phone for a while undecided on whether he should text her or not and he types something out several times before deleting it. Then suddenly his phone beeps in his hand and he smiles down at the text message he's just received.

_I'd quiet like to haven't something three dollar  
pie again. Picnic wasn't nice, backyard rub was  
batter :)  
Maria  
x_

Monroe lets out a chuckle and reads it several times as he deciphers the clearly autocorrected words it's obvious she's had a drink but it's cute, really cute. Monroe resists the urge to text her back because he should be asleep and he doesn't want to seem too eager but he decides to reply tomorrow. He also decides that he'll ask her on that date too. Regardless, of whether Harvey is still around or not.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: Sorry this took so long been a little ill this week so, yeah sorry about that hope you enjoy =)  
**_

* * *

The next day Monroe buys a new bookcase for in the den, then he pulls out every book he's ever owned and he just looks at them and the idea from the night before comes back to him. That evening after fixing two cuckoo clocks he sits in the kitchen just looking at his phone. He paces up and down for a moment in front of it and tells himself to get a grip a few times. Finally after 30 minutes of agonising of writing and deleting text messages he sends one. Then he agonises about what he's sent.

_Hey,  
Reading any good books?  
Drinking any good coffee?  
Monroe_

Maria looks up from the book she's reading to see the flash of light is coming from her phone on the table. She puts down the book half expecting it to be Harvey, telling her how bored he is at the conference. It a nice surprise when she sees its Monroe.

_I always drink good coffee and  
I always read good books, how  
about you? Making any good clocks?_

Maria.

It's terrible Maria knows it's terrible as she sends it and it doesn't even make any sense but it makes Monroe smile.

_I shall always trust your  
judgement in books and coffee then  
m'lady. We already knew that though.  
Harvey still with you?  
Monroe _

_And so you should =P  
Nope, he's only in town for a few nights  
one of which is at some conference thing.  
I'm actually enjoying a riveting evening  
of trying to decide which books to read  
then onto the tea, such an exciting life  
I lead.  
Maria _

Monroe reads the reply and then waits, he types out a new message four different ways before sending it because he doesn't want to seem over eager or forward but at the same time he half wants her to know that it is a date.

_If you're that bored you could  
always come over and  
help me organise this mountain  
of books for my new bookshelf.  
I can't offer an exciting evening  
but I can offer alcohol.  
Monroe_

Monroe waits patiently for the reply because it does take her a while, or at least it feels like forever.

_I'll be over ASAP if  
you send me the address.  
Maria x_

Monroe texts her the address and then waits to see if she's serious, if she's actually going to come over. Then he starts to panic and look around, making sure there's no underwear lying around or anything Grimm related. Then he catches his reflection in the mirror and tries to sort out his hair and checks there's nothing wrong with the shirt he's wearing. _Relax_ he thinks to himself. Then there's a knock at the door and he hopes to god it's her and not Nick.

Maria feels a little odd as she approaches the door, she smiles at the stain glass wolf on the door and notices the stain glass runs along the top of the window too. She feels apprehensive and a little nervous. She smooth's out the red chequered shirt she's got on and runs her hands over the back of her jeans wondering if it's too much. It isn't too much this is half casual wear, she's not dressed up. Maria knocks on the door and then waits for him to answer.

'Hey, hey.' Monroe says it twice because the first time he barely looks around because he's expecting Nick and the second time he notices that it is in fact Maria and he beams. 'You got here fast, how?' he asks. Maria gestures to the car parked in his driveway. An old battered red ragtop that looks like it's seen its fair share of the road.

'I can drive you know.' She smiles at him as she enters and looks around a little nervously. Monroe offers to take her coat and bag and she's still a little nervous as she stands looking around. Monroe's house is beautiful, it's all wood and a couch that looks like it belongs in the 70's and yet it's modern. There's a sense, with all the wood and the colours that he's trying to bring the outdoors inside. The clocks are the most noticeable thing, there are so many. On every wall and even a grandfather clock stood next to the bookcase.

Maria follows Monroe nervously into the den as he puts the bag down on the table. Maria notices the books on the floor and all nervousness goes out of the window as she excitedly throws herself onto her knees on the floor and stats rifling through them and then she looks up at him a little sheepishly.

'So, how do you want them, I mean are you going for basic a-z title or basic a-z author or a-z author and then collections. I mean there's a few ways you can do this, I'm sure we can fit most of them on here if not all of them, if not I'm guessing you have somewhere else to store them too.' Maria says quickly. Monroe watches her and he can see her eyes have lit up as her fingers brush over a few of the books and it's like she's trying to have contact with every single one of them. Like she needs too.

'Well, I was thinking we could have dinner first?' Monroe says and it takes Maria by surprise a little. He can tell that by the way her head whips around and there's a blush on her cheeks.

'Dinner?' She says a little stupidly.

'Yeah, well I was just going to make some spaghetti, if you want that is?' Monroe asks scratching his head.

'Oh, oh yes, dinner sounds lovely.' Maria smiles at him and Monroe holds out a hand to help her up. Maria looks at him for a moment and then takes it. He pulls her up and pulls her a little too close and Maria can feel electricity dancing through her bloodstream but she ignores it because Monroe is just a friend and this is not a date. She moves away from him slowly as he apologises and then turns towards the kitchen.

Monroe makes a mean spaghetti and Maria tries to help with the garlic bread but fails and slices into her finger. Monroe can smell the blood but it doesn't bother him because he's pretty used to it. He stops the bleeding and gives her a band aid then moves the larger sharper knives away from her and gives her something else to do. Maria has to remind him she's not a child.

'Is that a Mills and Boon?' Maria half lets out a laugh as she notices the book in the stack next to them.

'Erm, well, yes, but.' Monroe stammers a little. 'Oh man that's embarrassing, old girlfriend left it with me. Not so great taste in books, or music or movies for that matter. Smoking hot though.' It takes Monroe a whole minute to realise what he's just said and it's the look on Maria's face when he eventually looks up, she's smirking with an eyebrow raised at him.

'Not, that, that's what mattered, I mean, that's why we're not still together. That and the really rich ex-boyfriend.' Monroe scratches his head again in annoyance at himself. 'Anyway it's some trashy story about a Professor and a Librarian.' He says it without thinking and then looks up at Maria for a moment. He's reminded of a time when she thought he was a college professor and he lets a smile pass over his face.

'Oh I know what you mean all smutty tat with barely any romance.' Maria says offhandedly. 'Personally I like a bit of romance, I'm guessing that's my dad's influence though more than anything, and my grandparents.' Maria smiles into her food and continues eating.

'Why are they writers or something? Your grandparents I mean, not your dad. Although maybe he is.' Monroe muses.

'Oh no, my dad and grandparents just love telling me how they and then my mom and my dad got together. It's sweet and interesting and romantic. I'm more of passive romantic though, I think it's like seasoning, it's good to add flavour to book.' Maria smiles and Monroe's curious now especially with her comments from yesterday about everything being complicated it doesn't sound complicated.

'Oh, man my mom and pops got together old school, they were like arranged to be married and they were both so against it. They er, they decided they were gunna hate the other and they fought like cat and dog and then according to my grandma it took them three whole weeks of being adamant they didn't like each other before they gave in.' Monroe laughs and Maria smiles at him because it's a nice story. 'So what about your folks?' Monroe asks her.

'My erm, my mom and dad worked together and my dad was smitten with her, really smitten. My mom was in with a bad guy though, you know the whole drinking too much, fighting, betting her wages. My mom was pregnant with me and struggling and my dad wanted to be with her and he tried to tell her. She said he was being ridiculous, he was a young man and he needed to go out and find someone who didn't look like an elephant and have the weight of a child around their neck.' Maria stops and smiles.

'My mom didn't have anyone else and er, my dad wanted to take care of her, he said he loved her regardless. The night they got together. My erm, my mom had discovered that my dad had given her way too much maternity pay. She was his secretary you see. She went down there to give it back and tell him to leave it alone. He told her he just wanted to take care of her and the baby and that he loved her. My mom was adamant that she was going to spare him that life I think her exact words were _I'm in love with you George. I love you with all my heart, which is why this can't be anything more. I wouldn't push this life on anyone_. She was going to leave and then she went into labour, right on the office floor. My dad delivered me and two days later my mom found him holding me in the hospital and finally gave in. They've been together ever since, best role models I could have had for romance.' Maria smiled.

'Is that why it's complicated because he's not your real father?' Monroe asked watching her intrigued.

'No, he is my real father, just not biologically. No, no the reason things get complicated is because he wants me to have the best of everything. He keeps bugging me, about giving me the money to start up my own café, about buying me a real house with a real library.' She rolled her eyes. 'He's proud of me you know for going it alone, but he just wants the best.'

'I don't understand what's so complicated about that?' Monroe says finishing his spaghetti and refilling both their glasses occasionally glancing down at the books that they've not even started organising yet.

'Well, it's not, that was probably the wrong word to use, it's just. It's like this odd effect you know my dad built his law firm up. He worked so hard to get where he is today and I like that idea. I know he's just trying to be nice and I know a lot of people would bite his hand off to get that money. I know exactly what people think as soon as they find out he's my dad but I like the idea of building up a business, working really hard for it you know.' Maria blushes a little and shakes her head feeling stupid. 'Anyway what about you? Your mom and dad must be proud?' Maria asks him smiling. Monroe shakes his head.

'There is nothing wrong with that.' Monroe smiles at her reassuringly. 'Not as proud as you'd think, they don't like much about my life style.' Monroe scoffs and lets out a laugh.

'What do you mean?' Maria asks him.

'Oh man, my dad wanted me to either be working on the farm with him or become a lawyer. Earn a real living.' He rolled his eyes at this and Maria let out a soft laugh biting her lip and taking another sip of wine, which was good, extremely good.

'They're not happy that I'm a clock maker or a vegetarian.' Monroe says and he watches her reaction, it goes from surprise to confusion. He can't actually tell her why they're so hot and bothered about him being a vegetarian. He'll never forget that argument around the table about him betraying his roots and shaming the family. The fact he wasn't a real blutbad and that he wasn't even hunting on weekends like his older brother.

'That's odd, why would they care that you're a vegetarian?' Maria asks.

'Family traditions and stuff.' Monroe says into his plate before scratching his head again.

They start on the books twenty minutes later. Maria makes fun of a few of the books in his collection and Monroe notices she has something to say about every single book. Why she liked it, why she didn't, whether she had been meaning to read it or not. Maria is in her element, eyes wide with excitement and enjoyment and Monroe can see she's in her element and enjoying herself too much. Monroe likes that, he likes how happy she looks and it's quite infectious.

They go through one bottle of wine and then three cups of coffee before the book case is done and organized and Maria stands hands on her hips and admires their handy work smiling brightly. She looks at the time and wonders how on earth it got to near enough 12 o'clock without her noticing. She looks around and notices the cello and admires it for a moment before noticing the wooden wolf clock on the wall.

'Did you make this?' She asks as he brings back another cup full of hot liquid, this time it's hot chocolate with marshmallows in and Maria sips it revelling in the taste.

'Oh man that thing is old, first year of college.' Monroe says looking up a little proudly.

'It's beautiful.' Maria says. 'And you play cello?' She nods towards the thing. Monroe simply nods and she looks at him curiously, tilting her head. 'What are you?' She asks. Monroe looks at her for a moment and then looks away embarrassed because he genuinely thinks for a minute she knows, she knows exactly what and who he is.

'I mean come on, no real person is this good with their hands, I mean really?' Maria says, 'You cook, you play, you read, you give a mean massage and you can craft things to look like that. What are you? I mean you have more talent in your little finger than I do in my whole body.' Maria shakes her head and lets out a laugh. 'The only thing that I have that's even vaguely a talent is an obscure knowledge of books, tea and coffee.' Monroe doesn't reply he just watches her as she examines the walls and he's blushing at the compliments.

He looks her over, all of her and it does something to him, not only does she look good she's smart and cute. Sure the fact she apologises a lot is annoying, but he figures it's a confidence issue. Monroe's thinking about how nice it would be to wake up next to her and everything that goes before. He's lost in thought for a moment when he spots the book in the kitchen. A lone book that they missed, there's no room for it though, not anywhere on the shelf.

'Oh man we missed one.' Monroe says pulling himself from his thoughts he goes and grabs it as Maria goes back to the bookcase admiring the handy work again. 'We missed one.' Monroe says again holding it up.

'Oh no, well, well maybe you can put it upstairs.' Maria says because she's gotten this book case perfect.

'We can just fit it in here.' Monroe says.

'No because then we'll have to move everything down.' Maria says.

'No, it'll be fine.' Monroe says and that time Maria moves in front of the book case.

'Monroe we have just spent 3 hours organising this book case we are not just putting it anywhere.' Maria says mocking annoyance hands on her hips and cocking her head to the side.

'Sure we can, we can just put i-' Monroe goes to put the book on the case and Maria moves in front of him.

'Monroe don't you dare put that on there.' Maria says teasingly daring him to even try it and he does he sees the playfulness in her smile and he can't help but return it. When he goes to put it on the shelf she practically tries to wrestle the book of him and suddenly she's pressed against the bookcase and it's him that's pressing her there.

Monroe's lips find Maria's and suddenly they're kissing. The book gets lost as Monroe puts it somewhere and puts one hand on the small of Maria's back pulling her closer and the other on the book case to steady himself and coherent thought has gone out of the window because it's hot and heavy and he can feel muscles tightening he can feel electric coursing through his blood. The best part about it all is that she's kissing him back, fingers tangled in his hair because she wants him too. He can feel the want in her kiss and that sends a shiver through his spine. He wants to grab at her thighs and hitch them up around his waist, crush her against the bookcase and give her a night she'll never forget.

Then suddenly Maria's hand leaves his hair and she puts it on his chest pushing him slightly as she pulls away. Her fingers are digging into the material on his shirt like she's trying to stop him and yet keep him close at the same time.

'I can't.' She breathes softly. Monroe leans in to kiss her again but that time she turns away and Monroe leans his forehead against hers.

'Third date kind of girl right.' Monroe says with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 'You know,' he says lifting her chin a little and letting his thumb brush over her cheek. 'Technically we've already been on three dates.' He smiles and kisses her again and he can feel that she wants it too but she pulls away again.

'I'm sorry, I should go.' She says blushing and flustered, cheeks a little red.

'Maria, you don't have to.' Monroe says trying to keep her there because she's pushed away from him and she's already in the kitchen grabbing her bag. 'Maria?' He says grabbing her arm as she passes.

'I'm sorry, I have work in the morning, I need to get back.' She says annoyed at herself and she won't meet his eyes.

'Maria we can take this slow.' Monroe says trying to make her stay, because he doesn't know what'll happen if she walks out of the door so he doesn't want her to leave.

'I need to go.' She says tugging her arm out of his grasp and leaving. Monroe watches her upset and annoyed with himself, he slams his fist into the bookcase in annoyance and then turns to the kitchen. He throws his said back and resists the urge to shout. Now he's frustrated both in the sense that he wants Maria more than ever and in the sense that he thinks he's screwed up. Big time.

He's cursing himself inwardly when there's a soft knock at the door.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

* * *

Maria hears the door click behind her and she's halfway to the door of the car before she realises what she's done. Really stops and thinks about it because she has too, because her keys are in her coat pocket and her coat is still in Monroe's, wherever he put it.

Maria sighs and looks down at the car and then back up the street. The voice in the back of her mind is yelling _coward _at her while the sensible one is nodding and saying _three date rule._ There's an argument brewing inside, between those voices she can feel it. The overriding notion though, is that he was right. Technically they have been on three dates. Maria doesn't know what to do with herself a strong part of her wants to go back in there, (which she's going to have to do anyway) but the little moral anxiety ridden compass inside her is saying no, the rule.

Maria's had that rule since she was 17. Since she lost her virginity to a man who was a lot older than her and took advantage of the peer pressure she was under and the fact she was drunk. It was consensual of course but it still sends a shiver of disgust down her spine now.

Monroe isn't that guy though. Monroe is a nice guy. Not just a nice guy an amazing guy who can have his pick of the girls anytime he wants. Maria brings her hand to her face and just stares at the car for a minute. She's going back in there either way.

Monroe opens the door and finds he's actually surprised when it's Maria. He looks at her a little sheepishly feeling embarrassed as he says hi.

'I forgot my coat. It's got my keys in it.' Is all Maria can say because her nerve to say or doing anything else fails her. Monroe opens the door for her to enter and she does and comes in standing there wringing her hands out nervously.

'It's just in here.' Monroe says moving her over a little because she's stood in front of it and they're too close again. Much too close, Maria can feel heat rising thick and fast through her bloodstream and it gives her tingles of anticipation that make her feel like she's about to combust because Monroe is a very good kisser and she knows that now. In fact she's hyper aware of that now. She also knows he's good with his hands and now she's wondering just how far the being good with his hands thing goes.

Maria doesn't know where it comes from the sudden surge of confidence. Maria says Monroe's name and then she kissing him again and this time, it's Monroe who pulls away or tries too. Maria has her fingers tangled in his hair which is making it difficult to concentrate and difficult to pull away.

'Maria,' Monroe manages before she interrupts him.

'You were right.' She says a little breathlessly. 'Technically. We. Have been. On The dates.' She punctuates almost every word with a kiss and then Monroe pulls back from her for a moment. She looks disappointed and this pleases Monroe, this pleases him a lot.

'Oh.' He says watching her as recognition passes over his face. Maria has her hands wrapped around his neck again and as he leans in to kiss her this time he grips just underneath her thighs and lifts her so she has to wrap them around his waist. He pushes her against the wall as she lets out a squeal of delight. Maria lets out a soft moan as Monroe's mouth finds its way to her neck, kissing and nipping gently.

Monroe can feel the gentle tug on his hair, the way her thighs are tightening around him and then he can hear the gentle thud as her head hits the wall, and she lets out another groan.

'Mnroe, Monroe, you, erm, you have, you know things in right. You have, well you have protection right.' Maria says breathlessly and she's surprised that she's managed to get that much out. Monroe stills underneath her, his mouth hovering over the skin where neck becomes shoulder. Monroe shuts his eyes annoyed because he knows full well that he doesn't. The last time he had someone back was well over six months ago and then he just bought enough for the night.

Maria unhooks her legs and puts her feet firmly on the floor, she still has her arms wrapped around his neck and she loosens the grip on his hair crossing her arms at the back of his neck. Monroe still has his eyes closed in annoyance and Maria gives him a quick kiss.

'I suppose I should be flattered, shows you didn't expect anything.' Maria says with a soft smile and she gives him another kiss.

'Or offended that I thought you'd go without.' Monroe says jokingly and Maria pulls away from him and gives him a look that lets him know he's definitely said the wrong thing. 'Not that I think that, of course I don't. Oh man.' Monroe says hanging his head. Maria takes her hands from around his neck and the coat off the floor.

'You don't have to go.' Monroe says quietly because he doesn't want her too.

'I have work in the morning. I don't know what I was thinking.' Maria says, but she knows exactly what she was thinking and it has everything to do with how good Monroe may or may not be with his hands.

'I finish at 5 tomorrow, maybe we can, organize some more books.' She smiles at him and kisses him a little hard. It's the kind of kiss that resonates all the way down through his body. Monroe mentally ticks off in his head that he needs to go to the pharmacy tomorrow. Maria leaves and he realises that he's still stood with his arm against the wall. He sighs deeply and looks at the mess of plates and mugs on the side. He decides he'll do them in the morning, early, very early about the same time he gets up for the extra work out he's going to do.

* * *

Monroe just can't help himself the next day, he keeps getting flashes of last night and it's driving him a little crazy if he's honest. He really wants to see her again. Not even to finish what they started he just wants to see her. He finishes the jobs he has to do and takes a late lunch deciding to head over to the café. He'll make some excuse when he gets there.

As he approaches he can see there's hardly anyone inside. Maria and a few of the builders, including Blue, Harvey and two old ladies taking afternoon tea and scones. Maria's chatting animatedly to Harvey when he enters and neither Monroe nor Maria really know how to act with each other. Maria can't figure out if she's supposed to go over and kiss him or not and Monroe can't figure out if he's supposed to do the same. Instead he approaches the counter like he always does and gives Harvey a small wave.

'Hey,' Maria says giving him a nervous smile.

'Hey,' Monroe says scratching the back of his head and looking around. 'I'll erm, I'll just take a hot chocolate.'

'Great I'll bring it over.' Maria says happily. He sits down at a table a little away from Harvey because he doesn't know the guy well enough to just sit opposite him. Maria gives Monroe his hot chocolate and then see's to the old ladies who give her a warm smile and some compliments as she brings them over more cake.

'I dunno what's gotten into her but cher is a little ray of sunshine today.' Harvey says making conversation with Monroe and moving to sit opposite him. 'Knowing her it was probably something she read.' Harvey chuckles and Monroe can hear the southern twang to his voice. Monroe has a sly smile on his face because he knows exactly what got into Maria or rather what didn't, he chuckles to himself for that remark.

Harvey frowns as Maria cleans some tables near the construction workers because Blue is showing off to his friends and he grabs at her ass. Maria ignores him and continues working. Monroe twists around to see what's going on and he feels a growl somewhere deep inside and he has to remind himself that he can't threaten anyone in here because he's not amongst wesen now. The old ladies scowl over at the builders as they continue with their idiotic remarks.

'I suggest if you can't keep your tongues in check boys, you find somewhere else to take your afternoon tea.' Harvey says loudly to them as Maria brings empty plates back to the kitchen and goes back with the disinfectant.

'Harvey its fine. Ignore them.' Maria says and she gives Monroe a small smile but it's the false one the one he doesn't like. Maria is cleaning the tables and Harvey scowls again because this time Blue has gotten up and he's making lewd actions behind her. Maria wipes the hair out of her face with the back of her wrist and stands up banging into him.

'Oh well baby if you want me that badly all you have to do is ask.' He says and Maria scoffs and moves away from him trying to ignore him. Harvey's jaw is clenched tight and Monroe looks around again just as Blue grabs hold of Maria's wrist and pulls her close. Monroe stands up but not before Harvey and he has to stop his eyes from bleeding to red.

'Oh now that's not nice is it.' Blue says and he's in Maria's face but not for long as Harvey moves quickly, he's roughly the same height as Blue only Blue's stockier with more muscles but it doesn't stop Harvey. He grips Blue's wrist hard and twists it so the guy lets out a hiss in pain.

'Now I suggest you let the lady go.' Harvey says low and menacing.

'Get off me.' Blue says wriggling but Harvey still has hold of his wrist and he twists it harder. Maria stands back rubbing her wrist in shock and she's scared, she can feel her heart in her throat.

'Now this wouldn't be your good hand would it sir? It would be a shame if you couldn't hold a hammer.' Harvey says and Maria can see that Blue's face is contorted with pain.

'Harvey, it's fine, I'm fine.' Maria says softly but her voice betrays her because she's still scared. All Monroe can do is watch and he feels ridiculous, he feels useless and like it should be him threatening to break Blue's arm and not Harvey but it's not and he's failed to protect her and he almost shrinks back into himself a little. It's not that Monroe is a coward because he's not, he's just rather passive and he doesn't like confrontation for a number of reasons.

Harvey looks at Maria for a second and she nods at him. He lets Blue's hand go and then adjusts his suit. Blue brings his fist back immediately and then swings a punch which is a bad idea. Harvey catches his arm and breaks it on the table top. Blue howls in pain screaming about how he's going to sue and the other builders help him outside while Harvey approaches the wide eyed Maria.

'Cher, cher are you ok?' He asks her and despite what he's just watched the guy do Monroe can't help but think it should be him who's doing that. Maria nods at him and swallows slowly.

'I, erm, I'm fine, honestly.' She moves a piece of hair behind her ear to try and hide the fact her hands are shaking.

'Crap, I gotta go Cher, are you sure you're ok?' He asks her again pulling her chin up so her eyes meet his for a moment.

'Yes, yes go I'm fine honestly.' Maria says wringing out her hands. She watches him go and he nods his head to Monroe and then leaves. Maria gives the old ladies a small smile and Monroe before heading into the kitchen.

Monroe doesn't really know what to do with himself. He sits and plays and replays what just happened in his mind. He didn't even attempt to get involved, which is good because he couldn't have, avoid confrontation that's what they told him in rehab and that's what he does. Or tries too, hanging around with Nick hasn't exactly helped that situation which means his Blutbaden instincts are more than ready to kick in in a fighting situation. Monroe feels guilty though. It should have been him that broke Blue's arm and he should have done it a while back.

The old ladies leave and they ask Monroe to see that the nice young girl gets the bill they've left on the side. They watch him for a moment as though sizing him up to see if he's going to do her any harm, they seem to decide he isn't. They leave and Monroe waits 5 minutes, when Maria still doesn't come out of the kitchen he picks up the bill (using it as an excuse to go back there) and heads for the kitchen.

'Hey those two old women just left, gave you a fair tip though.' He smiles but he notices she's not. Maria's leant against one of the work surfaces, and she's just watching the opposite wall and biting her lip and her eyes are all sparkly like she's about to or has been crying. Monroe knows it must be the latter because they're a little red too.

'Oh man, you're not ok are you?' He says. He puts the plate with the money on it down on the side and then moves next to her.

'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm just being stupid you know.' She gives him a half smile but he notices she rubs her wrist and he can see that Blue has left marks. A part of Monroe's brain wonders if he did it on purpose, marked her like that and he has to rein himself in a little because right now he's thinking about catching up with Blue and making him pay the old fashioned way.

Maria goes to rub her arm again where it's sore and Monroe stops her. He turns Maria to face him and puts a hand on her cheek wiping the tear from it and holding her face for a minute before she rests her head on his chest and he just holds her for a moment. It's nice though, he likes it, not the fact that she's upset but the fact she feels she can let him hold her like this.

'I'm sorry.' She apologises again and moves away from him.

Monroe is supposed to go around to hers for dinner that night but Nick calls just as he gets to the door and it's urgent because Nick's got himself tangled up with some Daemonfeur. As much as Monroe would like to say no to Nick he can't, it's not exactly like Nick can call anyone else for help. Monroe has to cancel on Maria and then he goes along and helps Nick hoping for it to be through quickly but it's not they fight well into the night. Then when the things dead the police turn up and Monroe has to do the disappearing act.

* * *

It's three days before Monroe actually gets to see her properly, when she's not in work and when Harvey isn't there. Harvey's gone, back home to L.A where the head office is.

Monroe's not really sure how they got started like this. One minute they were talking about some author and the next they were kissing. One thing Monroe does know is that the phone on the table is really really starting to annoy him. They've been kissing for a while, on the couch like a pair of naughty teenagers and Maria keeps interjecting with things and giggling. Monroe doesn't want to rush her into anything, not that it matters, it's easy and Monroe likes it. He likes it a lot.

'Answer it.' Maria says when the phone won't shut up and just before Monroe's hand slides from her thigh to her hip. 'Answer it.' Maria says again and Monroe shakes his head. It stops and he goes back to kissing her, his hand is sliding further and further up her thigh over the curve of her hip. It glides over her side as his kisses fall a little deeper and Maria's breath hitches in her throat. Monroe shifts a little because he's getting a uncomfortable. He wants to strip her down and chase her up the stairs, there's a hunger in him that he's squashing down for her sake.

He's being too gentlemanly and Maria knows it but she's not confident enough to just get up and drag him upstairs. She's squirming an awful lot because she wants him closer and with a lot less clothes on. Maria's breath hitches as Monroe's mouth makes contact with her throat and she can feel him smiling against her neck.

Then the phone rings, again and Monroe stops his head dropping forward. He looks at her annoyance and frustration on his face and Maria thinks it's cute, really cute.

'Answer it.' She says again. Maria seizes the opportunity as he gets up. He looks around at her a little worried she's going but she's not. 'Answer it and then-' she trails off looking at him coyly nerves failing her on what to say. Instead she rolls her eyes upwards and then turns and walks upstairs. Monroe's eyes follow her all the way up.

_Nick_ is what's flashing on his phone. Monroe tears his eyes away from the stairs. 'Dude I swear to god if you're not being half eaten by a Jagerbar or in the Lowen Games I might just have to kill you myself.' Monroe hisses down the phone.

'Hey Monroe, finally.' Nick says barely listening to what his friend actually says.

'I am busy, or I should be.' Monroe says through gritted teeth.

'Hey do you know anything about Schöne Elfe.' Nick asks ignoring the sound of annoyance in Monroe's voice or just not noticing.

'Really dude, seriously, hit the boo-' Monroe begins.

'Monroe, some guy said about them before and I'm tired of trying to find them. It's what they called the girl they'd taken hostage. Just tell me what it means.' Nick says cutting him off. That annoys Monroe. The guys just left him 6 missed calls because he wants to know something, something that's probably not even relevant.

'I'm busy Google translate or hit the books.' Monroe says a little rudely and hangs up. Monroe feels a little guilty as he puts the phone on the side, Nick probably wants to get home to Juliette and that's why he phoned him. The guilt seems to disappear though when he looks up the stairs and he can smell Maria on his stairs. He follows her scent to the bedroom where else would she be though? He follows it anticipation tingling through his system. When he gets in there she's dragged his sheet off the bed and it's tucked up around her arms. Monroe looks around and sees her clothes strewn about the floor. Monroe realises that underneath that sheet she's got nothing on, or at very least next to nothing. Maria's inspecting the shelves on the side and the clock next to all the trinkets on them. It's mainly photos and old trophies. Monroe walks over and slips his hands around her waist.

'Football, boxing, spelling bee, pub quiz.' Monroe nods to each of the trophies in turn and he likes how easy it feels, he likes how Maria leans into him and rests her head on his chest and the way she holds onto his arms.

* * *

Monroe has a rein on instincts while he's in bed with a woman. Just as much as he has a rein on them in life, especially if their human. Although, generally, he tries to stay away from human women, not that he gets many women back here.

Maria likes that Monroe's not all washboard abs, she likes that a lot, she likes that he's a lot bigger than her too. Especially afterwards when he has an arm around her shoulders and she's got her head on his chest. She could get used to this. When Maria turns away from him in her sleep Monroe follows her movements and pulls her back close to him, she's smaller than him and it means she fits next to him snugly.

Maria wakes up in the morning with a smile on her face and a sense of deep relaxation filling her body. That isn't surprising though considering the events of the night before, now Maria knows just how good Monroe is with his hands.

Maria turns over to find Monroe's not there and pouts sitting up with the blankets pulled up under her arms. Monroe's not long though, he comes back with a tray, breakfast on it. Maria gives him a sheepish smile tucking the blanket up around her arms so it stays there.

'I, erm, well, I remembered you said you liked pancakes, strawberry pancakes.' Monroe smiles and puts the tray in front of her. There's chocolate and strawberry pancakes and pomegranate tea.'

Maria shakes her head at him. 'What are you?' She asks him again in the same tone she did the other night. Monroe simply smiles at her taking it as a compliment and sitting down next to her on the bed, he's dressed already and Maria pulls him by his collar into a deep kiss that hit Monroe down to his very soul.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**AN: Wow guys I really truly am so sorry! So so so so so sorry this took so long! I've been sucked into the world of roleplaying at the moment and I keep getting carried away with it. I'm really really sorry, here it is it's not long but I do have a plan for the story so I'll try and keep on top of updates =) Once again I'm sorry.**_

* * *

'No, no, oh man you want the other ones. These things are disgusting.' Monroe says taking the beans out of Maria's hands and picking up some others, putting them in the basket. Maria frowns at him not understanding the difference but she accepts what he says because he's most definitely the better cook. Monroe and Maria have been dating for a couple of weeks now. He likes her a lot more than he ever thought he would. He likes waking up next to her in the morning, he likes the way she talks in her sleep, the way she gets so lost in a book it actually takes him three or four shakes to get her out of it. He likes the fact that he's called her up several times to find her sobbing about one character or another. Her taste in tea is amazing too and coffee, she's introduced him to all these new ones and he loves it.

They're shopping at the moment because Monroe is going to teach Maria how to make spaghetti bolognaise at her apartment. In the big kitchen that Monroe is slightly jealous of and gets annoyed that Maria never uses.

Monroe's picky when it comes to what he buys in the supermarket, unlike Maria he likes to have the really good stuff. He likes his food to taste the best. Maria on the other hand doesn't care as long as it tastes good or fills her up. It's how she's lasted so long on takeout and microwave meals. They go home and he starts cooking trying to teach her how to cook everything and she is bad, really bad. Monroe tries to teach her how to cut things up properly by standing behind her and guiding her hands but Maria gets very easily distracted by the tickle of his beard on her cheek and when he stops out of annoyance she turns and captures his mouth with hers. Monroe shrugs her off telling her to concentrate. Maria tries to act like a good student but she's just not.

The first lot of spaghetti they make ends up burnt so Monroe puts the bolognaise on the side and they head out down to the local shop for some more, it's not exactly up to Monroe's standards but as far as Maria is concerned it's spaghetti.

Maria is teasing him all the way up the stairs. 'Come on old man, I thought you were supposed to be active.' She teases as she runs on ahead of him. Monroe feels a wave of lust wash over him when she winks at him coyly and he decides to give chase. He catches her at the top of the stairs, just outside the apartment and pins her against the wall. He allows a small growl to escape his lips and Maria makes one of the sexiest noises he thinks he's ever heard. She grabs him by the collar and holds him there trying desperately to get her key out and get back into the apartment. All the while Monroe is kissing her neck, biting on it and making growly noises, asking her if it's a distraction and telling her to hurry up.

Monroe practically throws the bag with the spaghetti in on the floor as Maria grabs him and pulls him back into a frantic kiss so he's crushing her against the door. This is something he's found she likes. He doesn't know if it's because she's read too many novels or too many movies but he just knows that when he gets a little more dominant with her, when he's in control it turns her on a lot. Monroe doesn't mind that at all though, it makes him feel alpha, something that satisfies him and in a small way the wolf hidden under the surface.

Her fingers find the buttons on his shirt and begin a slow assault on them, the whole day he's been giving her these little teasing touches so for now, the pan of bolognaise, is forgotten on the side. Monroe starts an assault on her neck from her ear lobe downward, relishing the sound of her head hitting the door.

'Oh god, ' Maria moans as he makes his way to the sweet spot where her neck meets her shoulder. 'Oh god, oh GOD! Jesus Christ!' Suddenly she pushes him away flushing and Monroe turns and suddenly understands why, there's a couple, a man and a woman stood in Maria's living room. Monroe recognises the man from the photo in Maria's bedroom. That was her father, which meant the woman was her mother.

Monroe curls inward with embarrassment. This isn't the best introduction to your girlfriend's parents, not at all. Maria's cheeks are flushed as he fumbles over putting his shirt to rights.

'Mom, dad, what are you doing here?' Maria asks voice a little shaky as she tries to correct her breathing.

'Tallisman Benefit dinner is in two days and we thought we'd come over a little earlier to see you darling.' Her father positively beams at her as though nothing has happened and her mother is giving Monroe a smile that's almost a smirk. Monroe adjusts himself a little awkwardly.

'I should probably go.' Monroe says.

'Nonsense!' Maria's father cries and grabs at his hand to shake it, 'I believe you were cooking dinner.' He smiles and that's when it happens when Maria is walking towards the kitchen counter with her mom her father's face shifts. Monroe can't help it when he reacts himself, Monroe's father is from an old breed of wesen, when his face shifts it's somewhat gorilla like. A Derjenige, Der Schützt which means the one who protects. Monroe looks at him and her father's face has hardened when he realises what Monroe is, and that the thing before him has clearly started up a relationship with his daughter. Maria's father looks back at her protectively squeezing Monroe's hand a little too tightly before Maria brings him a drink over.

'Monroe was making spaghetti. He's such a wonderful cook.' Maria says smiling at him.

They sit down to dinner and the whole time Maria's father is inspecting Monroe, Monroe goes to touch Maria lightly once or twice and he swears he can hear her father growling at him.

'Harvey tells me you're a clockmaker.' Nicholas says eyeballing Monroe across the table.

'Erm, well, yeah.' Monroe says scratching his head and feeling incredibly nervous around Nicholas, even more so now he knows what he is.

'Monroe has his own business.' Maria smiles and squeezes Monroe's leg subtly under the table hoping to ease some of the nerves he's apparently feeling.

'You'd have your own business if you let your father help.' Maria's mother says off handily. Maria scowls at her and it makes Monroe smile.

'Perhaps you can go some way to convincing my daughter she's more than capable of owning and running her own little piece of coffee shop heaven.' Nicholas says as he puts some more food in his mouth.

Monroe simply smiles at Maria and goes back to eating, there's a million and one things running through his brain now, Maria clearly doesn't know about wesen and yet there sits her father. Maria's had no prejudgements about Monroe, she likes Monroe for Monroe, her father though, her father knows exactly what Monroe is and he knows exactly what Monroe's species are like.

* * *

Maria's father and mother leave some time later heading back to their hotel, Monroe tries to go home but Maria won't let him and so he stays to help clear up. Maria's mother and father have just left, when Maria hands Monroe a bag to put out in the trash shoot, he walks out thinking about how pretty Maria looks with her hair falling around her face when he over hears voices.

'Calm down darling, remember your blood pressure.' That's Maria's mother, Monroe stops and listens, they're waiting for the elevator.

'Calm down! Calm down! Do you know what that _thing _is?' Nicholas shouts. 'My dear I know you're not the most well informed about our lot, I mean I know you said you didn't want to know too much but that thing is a monster.'

'He didn't seem like much of a monster, he was very sweet and Maria seems very taken with him.' Maria's mother says softly.

'Yes well, that's how they get you. Blutbad, do you even know what it translates as? Blood bath, all it would take would be a little walk in the woods.' Nicholas trails off as though it's too much to think about.

'Nicholas I think you might be over reacting, I'm sure Maria i-' Maria's mother began but she was cut off.

'No daughter of mine is becoming red riding hood!' Nicholas cries and then suddenly the voices are muffled as they step into the lift. Monroe's heart drops into his chest because he knows that Maria's father is half right. He has been a killer. He has lived up to the very nature of the being he is but no more.

Monroe goes back to the apartment and his shoulders are slumped, Maria's humming to herself as she cleans away the dishes and he just stands and watches her for a moment, she deserves something better than this, something more than him, more than what he is. What he has the potential to become.

He sits down in the chair and sighs a little, Maria notices he's come back and goes over to sit on his knee, she wraps her arms around his neck and starts to lay kisses along his jawline, it's sexy, very sexy but Monroe can't help his thoughts straying to her father's words.

'I don't think your dad likes me.' He says a little downcast.

'He's just doing the over,' Maria pauses her mouth just below his ear, 'protective daddy thing.' She pauses again as she pulls on his ear lobe and Monroe feels a fire start deep in the pit of his soul somewhere. 'I'm sure,' Maria continues, stopping to nibble on his neck and with one hand starts to unbutton his shirt. 'He'll like you as much as I do.' Maria smiles, Monroe almost lets out a purr as she moves her fingers over his chest and breathes onto his ear.

'Now,' she says pulling away from him, 'I believe we were in the middle of something when we were so rudely interrupted.' She says kissing him deeply and reaching down between them for his belt, gently teasing the skin of his chest and brushing lightly, teasingly over the fabric covering his crotch.

* * *

Monroe lays awake half that night thinking about things, he thinks about the conversation he had about Juliette with Nick not so long ago, about the fact that human's minds can turn to mush if they find out. He honestly doesn't think Maria's would but he doesn't want to find out. Maria has her arm draped over his chest resting on his shoulder while her head is resting on the other side. Monroe's hands are leaving gentle trails over her back and side in a soothing manner.

She stirs gently next to him and Monroe kisses the top of her head, he's been a monster but he's not anymore. Monroe feels his heart drop when he thinks about having to leave her because he doesn't want to. Monroe looks up at the ceiling and notices not for the first time the skylight, the stars are out. Maria's got his shirt on and he knows it's going to smell like her all day tomorrow and he's not actually going to want to wash it.

Maria shifts again and this time she looks up at him and then props herself up on her elbow so she can see him.

'What's wrong?' She asks him stroking the side of his cheek softly with one of her fingers. She sits up a little when he mumbles nothing so quietly she can barely hear it. 'Monroe, please tell me?' She asks giving him a gentle kiss. She pulls herself up in the bed and straddles him examining his face.

'Nothing, I'm just thinking.' Monroe replies giving her forehead a kiss.

'I hope this isn't about my dad, he's happy if I'm happy, honestly. You don't need to worry about him. He's only ever tried to stop me doing something when he really thought I was in danger.' She smiles at him. 'And I can't see you really being a danger ok? I like you, a lot, and it'll take a lot to stop me.' Maria replies bending down to give him a kiss before hopping off and nipping into the bathroom for a glass of water.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**AN: I am so sorry! I really am please, please, please don't hate me. I got sucked into the world of Rpinng and it kind of took over my life and I neglected my fics. Then I lost inspiration for this fic in particular even though I had a plan and still have a plan for it. I'm really sorry guys but hears the next chapter. **_

* * *

_'And how do you call your loverboy?' _

'Come here loverboy.' Maria growls.

_'And if it he still doesn't answer.' _

'Oh lover boy.' Maria chimes.

_'And if he still doesn't answer?' _

'I simply say, baby, ohh baby…' Maria begins to sing along with the music and then turns to spot Monroe whose been watching her from the entryway to the kitchen the whole time. He slept in this morning at her request. Well, actually what he has done is get up, perform his morning pilates routine and then slip back into bed so she thinks he's been asleep. He's been watching her for a few moments hips swaying as she dances around the kitchen.

'No fair, you're supposed to stay in bed.' Maria says, 'That,' she kisses him lightly. 'Is the whole point of breakfast in bed!' She smiles at him before carrying on with what she's doing.

'Oh and what exactly are you making me for breakfast in bed.' Monroe says following her into the kitchen. 'I thought you couldn't cook?'

'Ah, but this is classed as baking.' Maria replies, 'blueberry waffles with yoghurt and then I made apple, pear and mixed, ' she waves her hand over the side, 'granola bar things, but I left some of the mix on the side so you could have that with some milk. Then I have three tea's for you to choose from.' She smiles as Monroe's phone goes off. Monroe rolls his eyes as he pulls it out.

'Nick?' She asks, Monroe nods his head, Maria still isn't entirely sure how things work between Monroe and Nick. Monroe has told her to think of him as a sort of consulting detective like Mark Sloan or Mr Monk but Maria's not quite sure how that works. Monroe's told her it's all to do with time and watches, that they can help things. Maria has shrugged and accepted it because it's his business and not hers.

'Hey Nick, oh, oh yeah sure. No, no it's ok I don't think she'll mind.' Monroe says down the phone.

'He need your help?' Maria asks licking some syrup off her fingers. Monroe nods and Maria gives him a pout. 'Do you have time for breakfast?' Maria asks him.

'Depends what kind of breakfast you mean.' Monroe raises an eyebrow at her and moves in for a kiss but she dodges it.

'The granola bar and waffles kind.' Maria says failing to hide the annoyance in her voice. 'You better eat before you have to leave.' She adds, Maria has been working hard all week, covering shifts here and there and still doing her own and this was her way of making it up to Monroe, whom she's barely seen.

'I'm sorry, you know where everything is though. Hopefully I won't be too long.' Monroe says trying to smooth things over.

'I may as well go home.' Maria says forcing a smile. 'I'll wash up, shower and then head home.' Maria adds.

'You don't have to.' Monroe says feeling guilty.

'It's fine honestly.' She says giving him a swift kiss. 'In fact I'll shower then clean up.' She says walking past him and back up the stairs.

* * *

'And her dad's a wesen?' Nick says, they're driving along to the home of a fellow Blutbad, a weider Monroe thinks can help Nick with his enquiries. 'But she's not?'

'No, she's adopted. By him anyway, I thought I told you that.' Monroe asks him.

'You did, you did. So let me get this straight, her dads a, a, gorilla wesen thing, she's dating a Blutbad but she has no idea about wesen? Nothing at all?' Nick says letting out a chuckle and hanging his head a little. 'How does that even work?' Nick asks. Monroe simply raises his eyebrows at Nick because Juliette is just as oblivious as Maria.

'Her dad hates me.' Monroe says a little quietly.

'Why?' Nick asks giving Monroe a small smile until he realises he's serious and then he gives him a sympathetic look.

'I don't know man. I mean, I do know, people have all these prejudgements about us. Even if some of us are weider.' Monroe says. 'Maybe he's right though, y'know, I mean she doesn't know a damn thing and what if I slip up?' Monroe asks him.

'Well, if I find you with a shotgun wound in the next few weeks at least I know where to start looking.' Nick says to Monroe's frown. 'Now this guy, he's not gunna try and eat me is he?' Nick asks as they pull up onto the side.

'No, but just don't stare at his eye, or the leg. Don't move too quickly either.' Monroe says and Nick suddenly gets a worried look on his face as they head up to the front door.

'Hey Earl.' Monroe says and he receives a grunt in reply. Nick does his best not to stare but now Monroe's mentioned it he chances a glance at the leg and looks up to see half the man's face is scarred and burnt, his eye is a milky white and he's clearly blind in it. Before he knows it Nick is thrown against the wall and Monroe's trying to calm things down.

'Earl, Earl come on buddy, he's not, he's not that.' Monroe says and then he hisses at Nick. 'I told you not to stare.'

'I wasn't!' Nick replies trying to get the hands from around his throat. Earl looks between Monroe and Nick before he lets him down.

'Taking pride in your ancestors work boy?' Earl asks him as he moves away and pours himself a drink. Monroe's eyes go wide because he knew there was something he forgot to mention.

'Oh yeah, I may have forgotten to mention. It was a Grimm did that to him.' Monroe whispers.

'Thanks,' Nick says sarcastically.

'Yeah well I was distracted.' Monroe says. 'When you've got an angry father about to come at you with a shotgun then we'll see if you can remember everything.' Monroe hisses at him.

'So, what do you want?' Earl says wearily sitting back down into his chair, he's still intimidating sat down. He's huge with broad shoulders and he has the look of being a veteran. Nick looks around and can see he's been in a few wars.

'We need your help.' Nick says and Monroe holds his hands up as though to say, it's not him who needs it.

'And what exactly makes you think I'm gunna help a Grimm boy? Even if he is a pup?' Earl retorts and when Nick looks to Monroe, Monroe just shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets.

* * *

'Hey dad, no I'm not busy. No actually I'm just baking.' Maria smiles and clicks her dad onto speaker phone. 'This about your birthday?' Maria says as she sneaks a bit of cookie dough.

'Yes, well, your mother is organising the usual party, I wanted to know if you'd be coming.' Her father replies, Maria can tell there's something else he wants to say too and she wonders if it's about Monroe.

'Yeah we'll be there.' Maria smiles into the phone. 'What do you want this year?' Maria asks him.

'We? Still seeing Monroe then?' Nicholas asks ignoring her question about his birthday present.

'You don't have to sound so disappointed.' Maria says curtly, 'Now what do you want for your birthday?' Maria asks trying to change the subject. She speaks to her dad a lot and every time since his impromptu meeting with Monroe her father asks if he's still around. Maria can't understand what he has against Monroe. She's already told her father that he's a good guy several times, Maria does have to wonder if it's because the only man it seems might ever be good enough for her (in her father's opinion) is Harvey. Maria sighs.

'He's a good guy dad, I don't understand why you don't like him, I could do a lot worse.' Maria adds into the phone. 'Can't you just be happy for me?' Maria asks him, her dads only done the overprotective thing a few times, he was right on 3 out of 5 but Maria doesn't like those odds.

'I am happy for you darling, I just think you could do better.' Nicholas says.

'And if I don't want to do better?' Maria asks with a sigh.

'Then it's your choice, as your father I am allowed to worry though.' Nicholas says. 'Now, about my birthday,' Nicholas changes the subject because he'd always rather bite his tongue than risk losing Maria. 'The party starts at 7:15 2 weeks from today and I believe your mother has made it black tie as always, personally I wanted fancy dress, I saw the most wonderful costume the other day online. Apparently we'll have to wait until Halloween though.' He chuckles down the phone. 'You don't have to get me anything darling. Honestly, just you being here is enough.' Nicholas adds. 'Oh sorry darling, duty calls!' Nicholas says as she hears a phone ring in the background.

'Oh, ok dad, right, I'll stick it on the calendar and I'll be there, maybe me you and Harvey can dress up, just to irritate mom.' Maria lets out a laugh.

'I think your mother would kill me.' Nicholas chuckles down the phone. 'I'll call you soon darling, enjoy whatever it is you're baking. Love you, bye.' He says down the phone before he hangs up with a click.

'Bye.' Maria says before continuing with what she's making. Strawberry cookies, something she's very fond of. She fully intends on having hot Strawberry cookies with Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Shortcake ice cream whilst she watches a film later on, that's if she doesn't eat her way through the cookie dough first. Maria smiles at the thought of Monroe at the dinner, all awkward and flustered. She wonders if he even owns a suit and what he'd look like in one. She finds she doesn't like the idea of Monroe in a suit, far too formal. Maria decides it won't suit him. Maria leaves her phone in the speakers and dials Monroe.

'Hey.' She smiles when he picks up.

'Hey, little busy, what is it?' Monroe asks from the other end as he dodges a chair that flies his way.

'How do you feel about black tie dinners?' Maria asks him ignoring the crash that comes from his end of the phone.

'Black tie? As in suit?' Monroe asks stepping aside as something else flies his way.

'Monroe maybe you should discuss that later!' Nick says as a very angry, intimidating, old female Blutbad advances on him with a knife in her hand.

'What? Oh, yeah. I gotta go, we can talk later though.' Monroe says and abruptly puts the phone down before smacking the woman hard at the bottom of her back, she howls in pain and it's just enough time for Nick to get the cuffs on her. 'You ok?' Monroe asks Nick.

'Yeah, yeah.' Nick says a little out of breath as Earl comes back into his living room and his mouth drops open at the mess that's been made whilst he was out at the shed.

'Maria looks at the phone a moment and frowns at it before shrugging and carrying on with the baking.

* * *

Maria's watching _Fear in the Night, _an old Hammer Horror film, when her phone suddenly rings. She jumps about a foot in the air and spills ice cream all over herself.

'Hello?' She says a little breathlessly before sighing and trying to do something about the ice cream.

'Maria?' Monroe says, 'Are you ok?' he asks concern etched into his voice.

'Yeah, you just scared me.' Maria lets out a small laugh. 'I'm watching some old movie on the tv.' Maria adds.

'Oh, well, I was just wondering about before.' Monroe says referring to the conversation about black tie, he's intrigued now.

'My dad's birthday is coming up and they always have this party/dinner thing. It's all tuxes and nice dresses that kind of thing. I wondered if you'd want to keep me company.' Maria asks a little tentatively. She can hear the hesitation down the other end of the phone and frowns to herself. 'You don't have to, I mean Harvey will be there and I'm sure he can protect me from some of the slimeballs at my dad's firm. I'd just like it if you were there instead.' Maria adds.

Monroe's pretty sure if anyone's going to be doing the protecting it'll be Maria's father rather than Harvey. He's seen pictures in the trailer of what Maria's father's kind do to people who hurt their loved ones.

'Maria I don't kn-' Monroe's cut off.

'My dad wants me to be happy, you make me happy, I want you to come with me.' Maria says firmly.

'Yeah, yeah ok then.' Monroe smiles down the phone. She wants him to go and that means a lot, it means a lot that despite her father's attitude she still wants him. Still trusts him. It means a lot because it's not some act of rebellion on Maria's part because Monroe can tell Maria actually listens to her father a lot and they have a good relationship.

'So what are you watching that's got you so breathless?' Monroe asks a wolfish grin from his end of the phone. Maria rolls her eyes but smiles.

'I was watching an old Horror film and your call scared me! So now I'm covered in ice cream too.' Maria says and Monroe can hear her shaking her head.

'I quite like the sound of you all breathless.' Monroe says to her.

'Yeah well, if you hadn't blown me off this morning you could have heard a lot more than that.' Maria retorts.

'Oh really?' Monroe asks as a wave of lust washes over him.

'Yeah, a lot more,' Maria replies, 'too bad you had to work.'

'I can be over in ten. I could help you clean up.' Monroe says a little hopefully and his breath almost catches in his throat at the thought of licking ice cream clean off her the skin of her torso. Monroe might have to suggest they try that.

'Nuh-Uh. Good night Monroe.' Maria says into the phone.

'Are you sure you don't need someone to protect you from the shadows?' Monroe makes one last attempt.

'Good night Monroe.' Maria says again.

'Night then.' Monroe says and Maria can hear him pouting at the other end. Maria tells him goodnight once more before she puts the phone down and then goes to change her pyjamas.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =) **_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**AN: I am so sorry! I really am please, please, please don't hate me. I got sucked into the world of Rpinng and it kind of took over my life and I neglected my fics. Then I lost inspiration for this fic in particular even though I had a plan and still have a plan for it. I'm really sorry guys but hears the next chapter. **_

* * *

'It's not that intimidating Monroe.' Maria says as they drive up to the house, they've taken Maria's car to her dad's party. The house is huge, and that means huge, three floors, 12 rooms and that's not including the library, the dining room, the huge kitchen, living room and grounds. The whole thing is extremely old and extravagant and Monroe is a little jealous. They drove from Portland to San Franciso, it should have simply taken 11 hours driving but they decided to stay in a motel about half way and set off so they'd get to the party for 7 oclock, enjoy the party and then spend the next two days at the house.

Maria holds the little box tightly in her hands and looks over at Monroe repeating her earlier statement. 'It's really not that bad.' Maria says with a frown.

'You seriously grew up here?' Monroe asks, than again his family home is a farm with acres of land so he shouldn't be intimidated but he is, he feels like the lowly serving boy who's nabbed the princess and it doesn't help he can picture her dad coming out with a shotgun. Monroe fidgets with his jacket again and Maria grabs his hand. 'You look perfect.' She smiles giving him a kiss on the cheek.

'I don't feel perfect.' Monroe mumbles as they get out of the car and walk up to the house slowly. Maria looks at him once before knocking, she's greeted by an aging doorman who tries to direct them but she stops him.

'Dad!' Maria cries as she spots Nicholas amongst his friends. 'Happy birthday!' She chimes as she's engulfed in a hug. It makes Monroe smile because he loves the relationship Maria has with her father it makes him respect the guy all the more. Monroe watches them a little sheepishly before Maria grabs his hand. Monroe watches Nicholas look over Maria and then he scowls at Monroe, a warning glare and Monroe has to stop himself from bringing his hand up to his face because Maria is wearing red.

'Thank you darling, I got your present this morning, it's perfect, absolutely perfect.' Nicholas smiles at her.

'Well I, _we_ got you something else too.' Maria says handing him the box. Nicholas puts his drink on the side as the people around him begin talking to others and Maria's mother comes over. She greets Monroe, far friendlier than Nicholas. Nicholas opens the small box and there's a pocket watch inside similar to the one Maria has but this one is engraved. Nicholas positively beams and says a thank you.

'You look amazing darling.' Maria's mother says making her turn on the spot. There's a whistle from behind them and Harvey appears in a tux and Monroe suddenly feels very small, ever more the pauper. He isn't wearing black tie because Maria said he looked good with just the shirt and jacket. Harvey pulls Maria into a hug before holding her at arms-length to examine her.

'Looking good Cher.' Harvey says with a smile and a wink. Maria is dressed in a red knee length dress, it's tight in all the right places, slightly 60's style and her hair is up in a bun. She does look amazing and Monroe knows it, she'd look a lot better on Harvey's arm than his too.

Monroe suddenly realises why Nicholas is still looking at him like he wants to beat the crap out of him, because Maria is wearing _red _and Monroe_ is_ a Blutbad. To be honest Monroe hasn't even noticed, well no he has noticed, he'd noticed she was looking amazing. That he wanted to tear the dress of her but it barely registered that it was red. Well actually that was a lie, Monroe had noticed she was wearing red because, well, red is his favourite colour but Monroe can't exactly say to Nick that the reason he doesn't want to tear his daughters throat out is because he wants to take her straight back to bed. He doesn't think either would go over too well.

Monroe feels out of place most of the night. Maria circulates and talks coming back to him occasionally and he speaks to Harvey quite a bit. Monroe can't help but notice the way people look at him, the way the men look at Maria, the little touches of the arm they give her and the leaning in too close and he's doing his best not to growl when Maria is suddenly at his side.

'Are you ok?' She asks slipping a hand through his arm and walking him over towards some huge doors that open out onto a balcony a huge stone patio/balcony with steps that lead down onto the grounds. 'Monroe?' Maria asks him again.

'You didn't tell me they were going to be this fancy.' Monroe says with a shrug putting his glass down on the ledge. 'It just, these things always make me uncomfortable.' Monroe says looking a little downcast.

'Oh.' Maria smiles and moves closer to him. 'I suppose my dad glaring at you doesn't help, I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into him.' Maria says with a frown.

_You'd probably glare like that if your daughter was dating a creature knowing for killing things in red. _Monroe thinks, he shrugs and looks in at the flurry of people.

'Takes more than a tuxedo to impress me.' Maria says prodding him gently in the chest. 'They're all lawyers and accountants, minor 'celebrities' that kind of thing, although there might be a few professors in there.' Maria gestures in to an old man who's walking past the window complete with grey hair and a beard. Monroe lets out a laugh and Maria reaches up to touch his face moving his face so it's in line with hers and she can give him a kiss. It's soft at first and then a little deeper as she wraps her arms around his neck.

'I don't think this is helping.' Monroe says pulling away from her.

'I don't care.' Maria says kissing him again. Pulling herself as close to him as she can get. 'You want to go for a walk.' She says with a glint of mischief in her eyes. 'I don't think I finished giving you the tour.' Maria smiles, taking his hand and leading him down the steps.

It takes them five maybe ten minutes to walk across the grounds to the boat house where it's quiet and dimly lit. She makes him follow her explaining what certain things are and giving him small smirks.

'I can't remember the last time I brought a boy out here.' Maria says with a laugh and Monroe can't stop the small rumble in his chest. 'I don't think they ever had a waistcoat on though.' Maria chuckles because she's trying to get a rise out of Monroe. 'Can I tell you a secret?' She asks walking towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

'I never had a guy out here before.' She whispers leaning up and nibbling on his ear with her teeth. 'I quite like the idea though, especially with you, in that outfit.' She says trailing kisses along his neckline before pulling him into a deep and satisfying kiss.

'Maria, I don't I do-' Monroe's cut off as Maria pulls him into another kiss and pulls them so far back that her legs catch on the couch and she falls backwards pulling him with her.

'Relax.' She says rolling her body towards him. 'No one ever comes out here.' Maria says with a smirk as she kisses him again. She can feel his hands on her waist but they're a little reluctant so she pushes him off with a sigh and he moves to sit down on the couch.

'Maria, I'm sorry, I just don't think it's the best move with your dad giving me the old evil eyes all night.' He says his eyes widening and wiggling his fingers. He looks over at Maria as red fabric pools around her heeled ankles.

'So, I heard your favourite colour was red and I had to thank you for coming with me.' Maria gives him a coy smile and Monroe looks her over. He takes in every inch of her body and what's been hiding underneath that dress. Black and red lacy underwear, it looks stunning and it immediately makes any resolve Monroe had disappear. Her heels click on the floor a little as she moves to stand in front of him before she straddles him and he doesn't say anything he just leans up to kiss and nip at her neck as she tears through his buttons opening the shirt.

'Charles! I haven't seen you in an age.' Nicholas beams at one of his old law firm partners. 'I was just about to show William here the boat house. We had it painted a while back but I got a few new toys in there.' Nicholas says with a wink because it's true he's bought a brand new little speedboat to take out fishing alone, the bigger boat is for 'family' afternoons.

Maria runs her hands through her hair and slams her hips down onto Monroe who groans with her, she stops suddenly when she hears the voices approaching. 'Crap.' She says moving off him and leaving him half naked on the couch as she scrabbles around for her dress.

'I thought you said no one came out here.' Monroe says uncomfortably trying to re button his pants.

'Because they usually don't.' Maria says and she doesn't have time to put the dress on because the door is clicking. 'Quick out the back!' Maria hurries him towards the back door and closes the door swiftly. Monroe guards Maria closely as she awkwardly tries to pull her dress back on in the moonlight. It's taking everything in his power not to throw her against the wall and finish what they started. 'I'm sorry.' Maria says letting out a giggle as Monroe buttons his shirt back up.

'So you should be.' Monroe huffs.

'If it's any consolation, I can't put these back on and it's quite chilly out here.' Maria says gesturing to the red lace that's gotten tangled around her heel and torn, she throws them into the bin and Monroe groans and leans his head against the wall.

'And now I know you have no panties on, are you trying to kill me?' He says letting out a groan. Maria leans up and kisses him.

'I'm quite adept at sneaking out of my room you know.' She says with a wink and a smile as she begins to walk back toward the house.

'Give me a minute.' Monroe says before breathing deeply and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Maria rolls her eyes at him and lets out a chuckle before turning. Monroe grabs her and pulls her towards him zipping up the back of her dress that was open and smiling down at her.

* * *

Monroe's stood on the balcony to his room later on. Maria's room is right below her parents and Monroe has been put in a room down the corridor from her. Maria comes out onto the balcony and gives him a slightly drunk smile. She has a silk bathrobe on and he can see her underwear from there. Monroe hisses at her when she starts to clamber over the balcony and lets out a sigh when she lands safely on the Balcony between their rooms.

'What the hell are you doing?' Monroe hisses at her. 'You're going to get yourself killed!' He cries.

'I'm fine.' She says waving him off but stumbling a little as she climbs over the side of the stone rail and jumps straight towards him.

'Have you never heard of a door?' Monroe hisses as she walks inside.

'Knowing my dad he's still sat on the stairs and he will be until he thinks we're both asleep.' Maria says drunkenly smiling at him. 'Now Mr where were we.' Maria says pulling him into a kiss.

'Give me a minute.' Monroe says disappearing into the ensuite. He's weighing up whether this is a good idea because he doesn't really want to upset her dad any more. He doesn't want to come between them is his biggest thing. He looks in the mirror for a moment at himself and lets the woge overtake him. 'Twas beauty killed the beast.' He says into the mirror rolling his eyes. When he leaves the bathroom Maria is asleep on the bed anyway and he has to laugh at her because she's fallen asleep with her head propped up on her elbow, clearly meant to entice him.

Monroe walks over to her and gently pulls the blanket from underneath her. He throws it over her before stripping off and climbing into bed next to her which is when she rolls over and nestles into him. Monroe wraps an arm around her, leans down and inhales her scent from the top of her head deeply, smiling to himself an kissing the top of her head as he drifts off.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =)**_

_**There's more to come, attacks, murder, a break-up and a wedding =) Just to tickle your tastebuds. **_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**AN: I am really sorry, I'm really really busy with uni work and rping and al kinds of things at the moment. It's really weird, that and I've stopped watching Grimm tbh, I need to catch up on it but the shows kind of annoying me at the moment so uhm yeah. I have a few more chapters of this left though and I really do want to finish it. =) But I can't say when it'll be updated. **_

* * *

'You know when you said picnic beneath the stars I thought you meant outside.' Maria smiles gesturing to the roof of her new car, she was going to buy herself an old beat up wagon before her dad got wind of the situation and had someone drive over with a brand new black CTS Cadillac Sports Wagon, Monroe was impressed when it appeared, more than impressed but Maria certainly wasn't. She'd complained for an hour and even called her dad to complain about it. She's not ungrateful, she reiterated that point to Monroe several times. _'But I've been saving up for that car for years! I wanted a beat up old high school teacher wagon. I wanted to cover the back space in blankets and junk and I wanted buy a dog and throw it in there occasionally.' _Maria had told him.

It had been the first time Nicholas had really acknowledged Monroe's existence when he had asked him out loud, on speaker phone to tell his daughter how much better this was, that this car wasn't about being flash it was about her safety. Monroe had cringed at those words because he knew exactly how safe he though his daughter was with Monroe.

_'I just wish he'd understand that I want things but I don't just want them buying for me. I think because his lawyer friend's sons and daughters are always sponging off their parents he feels like he doesn't give me enough or something._' Maria had told him with a frown.

Monroe had decided on a picnic beneath the stars, if she could at least associate something nice with the new car she might appreciate it. That's why Monroe had refused to using the bug. Apparently not using the bug had been the best idea though because the rain had started to come down before they even got out of the car. Monroe had fiddled around with buttons and controls and gotten the back seats flat, he'd spread the picnic blanket out there instead. Now after food and some very good wine she was curled up next to him looking up through the sunroof out into the night sky which they can see through the trees. Maria's playing with Monroe's hand as she watches the stars and Monroe can tell she's deep in thought. It's one of those moments where she's clearly going over some pretty deep things in her mind. He's seen that look when she's reading and he likes it, it's something he calls the 'I'm on another planet look.'

'What are you thinking about?' He asks looking down at her.

'Nothing.' She says shaking her head with a smile. She nuzzles her nose against his for a minute. 'Honestly, it's nothing.' Maria says.

'Are you not a little, y'know, uncomfortable being out here in the dark? Like it doesn't freak you out?' Monroe asks curiously. He's sensed her go tense a few times between the pauses in the music on the radio but he's let it slide. Maria shakes her head a little guiltily and Monroe frowns at her.

'Will you tell me what you're thinking!' He says a little sharply.

'I don't feel freaked out, for a start, as stupid as it sounds, I never feel scared under the stars. For a second I have you here.' Maria says with a smile.

'It doesn't sound stupid. I'm curious as to why though.' Monroe replies pulling her a little closer. Maria shifts a little uncomfortably.

'Ok, ok, don't laugh though.' Maria said and Monroe crossed his heart with a finger. 'When I was younger, really young I used to love Doctor Who, really love it. My Gramps introduced me to it and it was just our little thing. When my grandma died he used to tell me she wasn't really dead, that she'd gone travelling with the Doctor and that they were coming back for him soon. He used to tell me that I didn't need to worry because they were always going to be there, just travelling through the stars, still watching and waiting to help me. It was silly, more for him I think then me.' Maria shrugs. 'I don't think I ever really believed it but it was comforting. When I got older the idea sort of developed in my head and I came to a conclusion.' Maria pauses for a moment as though trying to find the right words.

'I was sat outside one night and I was just thinking, you know, we can't be the only thing out there. We're incredibly naïve if we believe that, there's a whole universe out there and we can't be the only thing living in it. Instead of scaring me it just made me think, there's a possibility then. There's a possibility that, that man in his bigger on the inside blue box is floating around out there. Even if it's a nought point nought, nought, nought, nought, one chance, it's still a possibility. Which, of course, means there's a possibility for other things; magic, dragons, fairies, mythological things.' Maria says with a smile eyes trained firmly on the stars. 'I like that, I like that idea and those stars are a reminder that there's something more out there. I might never find it but it'll still be there.' Maria finished looking down at her hands.

'You can laugh now.' She says quietly looking up at him and chewing at her lip. Monroe looks down at her his eyes a little wide and he has a whole new appreciation for the woman in his arms.

'I love you.' He says leaning in to kiss her and it takes Maria by surprise because they've definitely never said that before. 'I love you.' He says again. Maria looks up at him and bites at her lip a little before she responds.

'I love you too.' She says giving him a sheepish smile, Monroe kisses her again deepening it this time and running his fingers through her hair. He shifts his weight so he's leaning over her and allows his hand to travel down her waist.

'Monroe, we can't, not in here.' Maria says as the rain hammers down a little harder on the roof.

'Would you rather go outside?' Monroe asks her before leaning back down to kiss her again as Maria giggles and lets out a groan when his hand touches the skin on her hip and moves inside her shirt.

'You are a bad man.' Maria says and Monroe chuckles before resuming the task at hand.

Forty-five minutes later chests still rising and falling rapidly Maria buries her face into Monroe's chest and curls herself as close to him as she can before letting out a chuckle.

'Look at the windows.' Maria says letting out a laugh. 'Oh god, I hope no one was walking a dog.'

'You were rather, erm, vocal, not that I minded.' Monroe says as Maria swats him with her hand.

* * *

Monroe had been troubled the past couple of days, there was something on his mind and he wasn't telling Maria. He was distant on the phone and hadn't come into the café. This upset Maria but she put it, like he had told her to, down to work. Down to ''detective stuff'', it was for that reason that Maria slipped on red lingerie, grabbed the spare key to his house and went over to wait for his return. She was all trussed up looking like a burlesque dancer when she heard the key turn. Maria bit down on her lip and smirked at him waiting for him to turn around.

The sight that greets Maria isn't a pretty one, Monroe looks like he's gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson, his face is bruised and bloodied and he's holding his ribs like there's some serious pain there. He's limping too. Maria's off the couch in a second.

''Monroe? Oh my god, what happened to you?'' She asks cupping his face gently and looking at him closely.

''I'm fine.'' Monroe says shrugging her off and making his way towards the kitchen. He isn't fine though, the experience had been horrific, more than horrific in the past 24 hours he's witnessed ; rape, murder, and torture at the hands of some seriously messed up Wesen calling themselves The Carnival. He'd gone undercover for Nick and he regretted it. An image ran through his mind and it made him bile rise in his throat but he swallowed it down.

''Monroe please.'' Maria says touching his arm lightly.

''I'm fine.'' He repeats almost dropping a glass as he slumps forward a little. Maria's by his side in a second supporting his weight as he tries to shrug her off again. Maria cups his face again and looks into his eyes, he looks frightened. That scares Maria, that scares her a lot.

''Come on, please, let me help.'' Maria says supporting his wait and leading him towards the couch. Maria busies herself in the kitchen for a few minutes a bowl of warm water, ice packs and tea, although she doubts he wants tea right now.

Maria sets everything on the table and starts to nurse him, dampening the cotton wool and dabbing at the wounds before unbuttoning his shirt so she can see what's happened. ''Oh my word.'' Maria says slowly as she peels Monroe's shirt off to reveal bruises and a rather large and nasty burn.

''I think we should take you to the hospital Monroe.'' Maria says the worry clear in the voice.

''No.'' Monroe growls.

''Monroe I really think you ne-''

''NO! Now leave it Maria.'' Monroe says as there's a knock at the door. Maria pulls the robe tight around her not really caring about her appearance at this point. She stands up and walks to the door kicking the black high heels off as she goes.

''It's Nick.'' Maria says with a frown.

''Let him in.'' Monroe says ignoring the tea and reaching for a bottle of whiskey and an icepack.

''Monroe I'm so sorry! I didn't kno-'' Nick says coming through the door and stopping when he sees Maria.

''So it is your fault he's in this state.'' Maria says tapping her foot angrily and moving back towards Monroe a little protectively. ''He's not a cop you know, don't you have regulations in place to stop this kind of-'' Maria's cut off as Monroe squeezes her hand.

''It's ok, can you get me some more tea please.'' Monroe says trying to smile and wincing a little. Maria bites her tongue and goes into the kitchen but she can hear them talking in hushed tones from where she stands and she puts her head in her hands against the sink.

''Did you get them?'' Monroe asks Nick seriously.

''Not all of them.'' Nick sighs shaking his head. ''Monroe I'm sorry, I didn't think, I should have stopped you.''

''Yeah like you could've, this should teach me a lesson.'' Monroe says shrugging it off. ''There was some pretty awful stuff going on there though Nick, you gotta catch the rest of them.'' Monroe says seriously.

''This is a whole lot worse than Lowen Games, I've never seen something on that scale, even in the days when I was a little wild.'' Monroe physically shivers that time. He smiles at Maria though when she comes back in with a coffee pot and puts it on the table.

''So do I get to know what happened?'' Maria asks folding her arms.

''Maria.'' Monroe says.

''Are you gunna be ok?'' Nick asks Monroe who nods and Maria makes a frustrated noise from behind the couch.

''Yeah, but take Hank.'' Monroe says warningly. Nick nods and gets up to leave whilst Maria shoots him daggers from where she's stood.

''If you need anything call me.'' Nick says seriously and Maria makes another disgruntled noise and turns away from both of them. As soon as Nick leaves she returns to the couch and starts tending to Monroe. There are tears she can't stop rolling down her face because she can hear his breathing all funny because it's difficult. Monroe's in pain but the pain etched on Maria's face is worse, he lifts a hand and takes hers in it before cupping her cheek with the other.

''Hey, hey Maria look I'm ok.'' Monroe says. ''I am, I'm ok.'' He says looking into her eyes as Maria closes hers and turns away from him a little before going back to tending his wounds.

''Are you sure you don't want to go the hospital?'' Maria asks him.

''No Maria.'' Monroe replies. ''First rule of fight club.'' He chuckles but it doesn't earn the smile he was hoping for from Maria.

Maria manages to get changed a little later as well as getting Monroe changed and helping him into bed, she keeps him medicated and in a good stock of tea. When he gets in bed though Monroe's demeanour changes, before he's been insisting he's ok. That if she has to go to work it's fine, but when he's tucked in bed with the lamp on and Maria goes to leave he grabs her hand and there's panic in his eyes.

''Where are you going?'' Monroe asks her with a pained expression. Monroe is worried. It's more a fear of what he might see in his dreams that's scaring him, what he'll see when he closes his eyes. He feels foolish, even though he knows he doesn't have to with Maria, he knows he can be vulnerable in front of her but he never wanted to be. He's the wolf. He's supposed to be the protector. His mother would laugh at him.

''I'm going to the guest room to let you sleep.'' Maria says giving his hand a squeeze and a small smile.

''Please don't leave me.'' Monroe says quietly.

''Monroe you need some rest.'' Maria replies a slight frown forming on her face. She looks down at him for a moment and it worries her because he looks genuinely upset maybe even a little frightened. ''Ok'' Maria says. She shrugs off the bathrobe and climbs into bed next to him and waits for him to turn over so she can be the big spoon. Maria just holds him and feels him squeeze her hand.

Monroe has nightmares that night, they're horrible and he's surprised he hasn't wogered out because he can hear screams and he can see things. Monroe has memories that he's tried to black out too it's awful and they're painful. Maria just holds him and gives him gentle reassuring squeezes and lets him know that she's there. It scares Maria because Monroe is usually a tower of strength, he's the one who protects her when they've watched some horror film and she's terrified. He's the one that pulls her close when they're out and leering drunken men make comments.

Maria eventually manages to drift off and Monroe's jerking doesn't wake her, she makes sure he's ok and set up for the day before she leaves for work in the morning, promising to come back later on. Maria's so tired and out of it though she doesn't notice the man watching the house as she leaves for work, the man watching her. She can barely keep her eyes open on the drive into the café or whilst she's working.

Monroe feels very differently in the morning, during the night he nearly wogered out, he nearly bit her, scratched her. The only thing that stopped him was because she was playing big spoon and before he could move pain had made him remember. It worries Monroe, the whole thing worries him because if the Carnival folk are still out there they might come after him and then after Maria. Suddenly all those worries her father had, all those worries he had, they come flooding to the forefront of his mind and he knows now what he has to do. Monroe has to let her go to keep her safe. She can't be exposed to this lifestyle. Yet he doesn't want to, he wants to tell her everything because at least then she'd be on her guard and Monroe's genuinely torn now. Now he needs to make a decision.

All those thoughts and feelings go out the window of course when Maria comes home, when she walks through the door with his favourite pastry and things to make him dinner. Despite the fact she's tired and weary from work, when she takes care of him everything leaves him and he can't let her go, he doesn't want to which only leaves one other option to tell her, not yet though, not now.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =)**_

_**There's more to come, attacks, murder, a break-up and a wedding =) Just to tickle your tastebuds. **_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: I'm sorry, I grovel at your feet I really do. I'm sorry for not updating. The rest of the story is in my head but I've just not had the motivation to write, or rather I have too many things I want to write. I just can't apologise enough.  
**_

* * *

_''I got something better than the wolf for ya boss.'' Jerry says from where he stands, away from Charles because he knows his place. ''There's a girl at his house.'' Jerry lets out a little snigger, it's not the same without Kathy there to nudge him, remind him he shouldn't but Jerry knows that Charles has a plan, the ringleader always has a plan because that's the way it is, the way it always has been. _

_''A girl?'' Charles asks in gruff voice, a voice roughed with age and experience and yet still commanding. _

_''Yes, yeah, yes boss a girl.'' Jerry sniggered excitedly. ''A pretty one too but there's more, more definitely more.'' He says, Charles knows by now that without Katherine to keep him in check Jerry's spiel, inability to rein in the other half of him that manifests as the bouncing buffoon, appears. _

_''More, what do you mean?'' Charles asks turning from where he stands in the cottage. The owner sits like a living doll in the corner, dead and yet positioned as though alive. _

_''You eh-heh, heh-heh-heh, you erm, you remember the lawyer, that one, the one that put Jacks away?'' Jerry says quickly rubbing his hands together. _

_''You mean to tell me?'' Charles pauses and lifts the corpses head up for a moment before letting it drop and looking at Jerry. ''That this girl is with this wolf, the one who was in our circle, the one who led the police to us AND she's what going with the lawyer too? The wolf no longer concerns me, that lawyer, that thing killed Jacks.'' Charles said angrily suddenly contemplating the weight of the information he has. _

_''Even better boss,'' Louis suddenly says entering the fold taking stock of the corpse and shrugging before throwing a folder down on the table. ''She's his daughter.'' _

_''Do you know what this means?'' Charles asks them a broad smile crossing his face. _

_''We gunna have some fun boss?'' Jerry says letting out a loud laugh. _

* * *

Monroe pulls up outside the café with a bouquet of roses in his hand. Surprising her, that's what he's doing, all week all she's done is take care of him and so now he wants to treat her. His ribs are still sore and the nightmares haven't stopped but she's been there the whole week, nursing him better. It worries him that Nick still hasn't caught the bastards from the carnival but he still keeps what happens under his hat and away from Maria.

Monroe pulls at his shirt and runs a hand through his hair as he steps out of the car. There's anticipation about meeting her. About waiting for her, it's no different from any other time and yet the flowers in his hand make him a little nervous. Monroe walks around the car and too the entrance of the café, it's still open. He knows there's something wrong as soon as he steps inside, it's too still, too quiet. Mr Mallory and Jenny should be in here at least. She should be there for the shift change over and yet there's an eerie silence falling over the café. It hits him like a tidal wave the smell of blood and Monroe immediately tenses up, his heart is gripped in his chest by an icy claw as he pushes himself forward, to walk around the small wall blocking his full view of the café. He doesn't see Mallory at first, the smell of blood is still overwhelming and the café's a little dark he follows his nose to the counter and he can see the thick sticky mass of drying blood on the floor.

Monroe doesn't want to go further he has to call Nick. He has to tell him, he shouldn't push further into the building and yet he does. He has too because he has to know whether or not Maria is in here. Monroe's seen blood shed before, he's seen it a few times but this, this is something else and yet he can't help the sigh of relief that it's not Maria, she's not here.

''Honey I'm Home.'' Is scrawled onto the wall in blood and Monroe makes his way back out onto the street. He calls Nick first a little frantically and then begins to dial Maria. She doesn't pick up. At all.

Whilst Nick and his team are dealing with the mess inside the café Monroe is still trying Maria. Monroe keeps telling himself she's in the shower, she's reading. She's eating. She got out of work early. She's safe, she has to be but inside he knows it isn't true. Inside he knows something or someone has her. Monroe is outside, he's been told to stay put by Nick but he doesn't think he can, he needs to find Maria.

''Monroe, she's not at home.'' Nick says to him and it barely registers. ''Monroe I need you to come inside with me.'' Nick says low and Monroe knows exactly what he's thinking. Nick wants him to go back in and see if past the blood and spilled coffee he can smell the stench of the carnival. Monroe feels an icy chill settle over his chest and overwhelming guilt, he's numb, barely notices as he pulls up at the house. A wave of hope washes over him when he thinks she might be in there but she's not, he's greeted simply by the lingering smell of her perfume on the cushions. Nick has to follow procedure, it's possible Maria could simply be out and they have to wait before they file her as a missing person. All the bloods from the place have to be matched.

Monroe tries to hold out hope, for the next few hours, it's very possible Maria has gone out somewhere reading and is simply lost in the world of a book, it's always something he's found endearing, cute but now, now it's something infuriating because if she is simply somewhere reading a book he's going to be angry at her.

''Pick up your damn phone!'' Monroe shouts, he's got it set to permanent redial but the knock at the door stops him and he puts it down. Monroe walks to the door with a heaviness beginning to settle inside his chest as the very real possibility that she could be dead runs through his mind. _She can't be,_ echo's in his mind.

''None of the bloods are hers. The dogs were outside her trail stops dead at the edge of the curb and her car is still outside her house.'' Nick starts before he's even through the door and Monroe is letting out a snarl when all of a sudden there's a hand around his throat, his door is almost off its hinges and there's a furious wogered out Maria's dad holding him there. The man is twice as strong as Monroe and his teeth are twice as big. Maria's dad could probably crush his throat with his hand if he wanted.

''Let him go!'' Nick says and it must be the third or fourth time because he puts a gun to Nicholas' back in order to get him to relax. Nicholas relaxes his grip on Monroe who rubs his neck, he goes to move and Nicholas pushes his shoulders roughly back against the wall as Nick pulls his gun up again.

''WHERE IS SHE?'' Nicholas shouts. ''WHERE IS SHE?'' He screams again.

''I don-I don't know.'' Monroe says not looking up at Nicholas.

''My daughter could be dead in some sicko's back yard all because she got caught up with you and a Grimm!'' Nicholas said, Nick looked a little shocked but Nicholas ignored him. ''Don't look so surprised my boy, I've known about you since you and your officers stepped foot into my firm a year ago.'' Nicholas added before dropping his hands from Monroe and running his hands through his hair. There are tears coming down his cheeks and Monroe goes to touch him but Nicholas slams him back against the wall.

''You better pray she comes home.'' Nicholas snarls at him. Monroe closes his eyes slowly. He doesn't need Nicholas' blame because he's already blaming himself. It is his fault, for weeks now he's known he should have finished things with her. He knows that but he can't because he loves her and now, now she's been taken, and it's all his fault. Nicholas' phone suddenly buzzes at the side of him and he looks down at it, there's a message there. He thinks about ignoring it but decides against it and when he clicks on it, the image makes his blood run cold.

It's a video message but before he's even hit play he knows who it's a video of because that's his little girl, that's her hair and her bloodied face he can see behind the play button. Nicholas swallows hard but it's unnoticed by the Blutbad and the Grimm who are conversing quietly. Nicholas clicks play and the image sends a chill down his spine because there's a laugh that echoes throughout Monroe's house coming from the phone in his hand.

''Remember me? Mr Bloomsco'' The voice says down the phone, ''Remember my brother, my brother you sent to the chamber?'' The man in the video lets out another laugh and puts a hand on Maria's hair pulling her up and letting out another laugh. There's blood running down her face and on her hair. Nicholas' grip tightens on the phone because he's somewhere between dropping it and breaking it. Monroe and Nick have gone silent, slowly edging towards him as the video continues to play and the man in the video continues to make demands, to talk to recount a story Maria's father knows all too well. Joaquin ''Jacks'' Rivera an acrobat accused of killing his lover in a violent fit of rage, his brother and friends had begged for Nicholas' representation as a Wesen lawyer. Nicholas had refused and instead taken the opposing side, aiding the guilty verdict and sending him to death.

''Now I guess you're wondering what I want.'' The man says into the camera, when there's a chiming in the background and he gets irate telling whoever it is to shut that damn thing up. There's a growl from Nicholas and growl from Monroe as Nick gets on the phone to his superior to try and trace the call. ''I could say you, but I don't want that. Then you wouldn't have to suffer would you? You'd be free of suffering. No, no, no, no what I want is simple, I want money, I want funds. I want you to know, to feel that you have funded terror, death, abuse. I want you to know that it's you funding it and if not.'' Charles makes a line with his finger underneath Maria's neck and let out another laugh.

''So what'll it be daddio?'' Charles says putting on a girlish voice and moving Maria's head as though she's talking. There are chimes in the background again and Charles looks off camera angry.

''We can't trace it.'' Nick says quietly.

''2 Million dollars, by midnight.'' Charles pauses before gripping Maria's head again. ''And we'll send the instructions, ok daddio?'' Charles says and he laughs into the screen, then it all goes dark.

''We need to find her.'' Monroe growls.

''I'll pay, whatever, I need to make arrangements.'' Nicholas says solemnly. ''No amount of money means more than my daughter.''

''Maybe there's something on there, something we can see that will give us a clue.'' Nick says, without asking he takes the phone from Nicholas and begins playing the message again. Monroe is pacing and Nicholas has picked up his phone speaking to the secretary, the voice seems so loud, that high pitched imitation and the image of him making Maria's jaw move upsets him and at the same time something inside him says _it's not my fault, it's not my fault it's his. _

Nick's playing the message for the fourth time when one of Monroe's clocks chimes letting them know that it's 7oclock. Suddenly something clicks in Monroe's brain and he snatches the phone from Nick's hand. Monroe skips forwards and backwards finding the point when Charles' gets angry.

''I know that chime.'' Monroe exhales as he stares at the phone for a moment.

''What?'' Nick asks a little confused.

''I know that chime, I worked on that clock, I've been to that place. It's a very interesting piece, 1904 grandfather clock, with a chime on the hour, every hour. Old guy who owned it said he loved it. For me it'd get annoying and that comes from a clockmaker.'' Monroe says enthusiasm about the clock overtaking his worry for a moment before he stops because Nick and Nicholas are both watching him intently.

''Address?'' Nicholas says reminding his friend that he needs to hurry up.

''What, oh yeah, I've got it, it's here somewhere.'' Monroe says running over to his side and yanking the drawer open rifling through everything and looking for the address, he doesn't know the owners name but the clock, he knows that.

''It's here, I've got it!'' He cries holding it in the air.

''Let's go,'' Nicholas growls deep and low and Monroe is pulled back into the flurry of anger, frustration and upset that's surrounding this and out of the excitement he always feels when he starts talking about his clocks.

''I'll call Hank.'' Is all Nick says as Maria's father yanks open the front door and storms down to the cars, he leans against his huge SUV and waits for Monroe and Nick. They're silent as they drive to the house, once outside Nicholas and Monroe are both wogered out. Maria's father is making deep breathing noises that are coming out in half growls as he grips the steering wheel. Nick makes them wait though, the carnival folk inside have no idea they're here and instead he makes them wait for the back-up. Nick doesn't seem to have any idea how much this irritates Monroe, Nick's usually straight in there. Monroe knows he's doing it because he won't be able to explain himself, explain how he managed to overtake the whole set up on his own. Nor would he be able to explain the torn out throats if Monroe or Nicholas got in there. Time seems to tick by almost painfully for the two men in the car who'd like nothing more than to dive in there and tare everyone limb from limb.

Monroe is the first by Maria's side and he scoops her up off the floor and into his arms carrying her out the door and ignoring Nicholas as he attacks Charles before being restrained by Nick and Hank. Nicholas clears his head and runs over too Monroe and Maria. Monroe tries to wake her up as the ambulance arrives. She's breathing, just, but her hair is wet and matted with blood that's starting to dry. She's unconscious, the chances of her waking up now are slim, she's pale too and that worries Monroe as he gives her a little shake whilst they wait for he ambulance.

''Please Maria.'' Monroe says pushing the hair out of her face and feeling his hand come away wet.

''I'm so sorry.'' Nicholas says dropping to his knees and allowing tears to pool in his eyes as he grips his daughter's hand.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =)**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: I'm sorry, I grovel at your feet I really do. I'm sorry for not updating. The rest of the story is in my head but I've just not had the motivation to write, or rather I have too many things I want to write. I just can't apologise enough.  
**_

* * *

Maria is sat with her head on her hand again, she was reading but now, now she's just staring into space and Monroe watches her from the kitchen concern etched onto his face. It's been two weeks since Maria was taken and she's only half recovered. She's sporting nasty bruising on her face still and one of her ribs was broken and is now healing. The damage to her head has all but faded aside from the slightly blurred vision she now has which means she'll need glasses, or contacts for the rest of her life. Maria's frowning again and Monroe is worried because she's become withdrawn and she's isolating herself. She hasn't returned to work but she hasn't exactly gone into detail about what happened either. Except to Nick and even then Nick thinks she's not telling the full story.

''Are you ok?'' Monroe asks her softly bringing in a cup of strawberry tea and the top up for her painkillers as she rests the book on her bent knees. She's gone through 12 books in the past two weeks and she's pulled up countless history books. Monroe has started to become a little wary because the search history on the computer tells him she's been researching mythological creatures and he thinks he knows why. He's avoiding the issue though it isn't his place to tell her.

''Do you ever think there's more out there, you know something, something we don't know?'' Maria muses, her gaze never leaving the window.

''Well, yeah, I mean of course there is.'' Monroe shrugs as he sits down opposite her on the chair.

''No I don't mean general stuff. I mean something, something big. Something humans aren't supposed to know.'' Maria says.

Monroe speaks without thinking. ''You mean like magic.'' Then Monroe stops and realises what he's said and laughs it off. He feels guilty, really guilty because he knows that Maria would probably, in actual fact be ok with this stuff. He's told Nick before that it could melt people's minds but with Maria he really doesn't believe that.

''Sort of.'' Maria says ignoring his laugh and continuing too look out of the window.

''Why don't we go out?'' Monroe asks changing the subject and Maria shoots him a worried look as he crosses the living room and kneels down next to the sofa. ''We could go for a picnic?'' He asks hopefully.

''No, I don't, I don't really. I can go home, if you have things to do. I mean I should go home anyway it was just I hadn't seen you and-'' Maria pauses for a moment.

''Nothing will happen to you Maria I promise.'' Monroe says hopefully.

''No, no it's fine, I'll go home.'' Maria ignores the sound to his voice and pushes the blanket off her.

''I don't want you to go home, I just want to help. You haven't been to wor-'' Monroe knows that's a sore subject and he feels guilty again.

''They didn't need me in, they told me.'' Maria says through gritted teeth. She's been told by work she can take as much time as she needs to recover. She wants to go back, it's not the flashbacks that are killing her though, it's the fact she knows, she's sure she saw something. Something, that can't really be real. Or can it?

''Yeah, I know they told you not to go in.'' Monroe smiles because he doesn't want to upset her and there's that guilt again. ''Maria if there's something upsetting you though. Will you just, will you just tell me.''

Maria stills for a moment and takes a deep breath as though she's about to tell him something and then stops. She doesn't want to and Monroe can see that. It worries him because all kinds of things cross his mind. What if they did things too her? He's worried and there's a slight relief when she speaks and yet at the same time it's another thing to add onto the guilty plate.

''Monroe, I'' Maria pauses.

''Come on.'' Monroe says taking her hand but Maria pulls it away and rubs her head a little.

''I saw something,'' She starts and tears of frustration pool in her eyes.

''I know Maria, I know its ok.'' Monroe begins thinking, hoping she's talking about the murders.

''No I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about something else.'' Maria says brushing his hands away. ''I saw something, those men, their, their faces changed.'' Maria admits. Monroe stills next to her.

''I know it sounds, well it sounds stupid but I saw it Monroe, I saw it his face changed. Several of them and it wasn't human.'' Maria says a slight tone of panic in her voice.

''What?'' Monroe pretends to act as though he knows nothing. ''Maria, it was, I mean you were under a lot of stress and pain. I don't think you can-'' Monroe starts.

''Trust my eyes. I knew you'd say that.'' Maria sighs. ''Because it's exactly what my mum and Harvey said when I told them.'' Maria adds softly.

* * *

''Don't you think it's about time you told her?'' Monroe hisses at Nicholas.

''She doesn't need to know.'' Nicholas retorts.

''She already knows she just isn't sure.'' Monroe replies getting more and more annoyed with Nicholas. Maria was still speculating, the search history on her laptop and mobile had told him that much. Nick, Nick believed they should just tell her. Monroe was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. The guilt was weighing on his mind and causing him to get snappy when Maria mentions things. Maria therefore is becoming more and more uncomfortable. She's becoming more withdrawn from him.

''Then make her unsure.'' Nicholas growls. ''I will not lose my daughter because you can't keep yourself quiet.''

''You're going to lose her anyway.'' Monroe sighs shaking his head as Nicholas storms away from him. Monroe can understand Nicholas' trepidation. In retrospect he's lied to her his whole life. Monroe hasn't really lied, he's trying to protect her and trying to keep Nicholas sweet at the same time but it's taking its toll.

* * *

Maria's sat on the couch laptop open when Monroe leans over the couch and lets out a huff because of what she's looking at. Folklore, folklore about humans as animals and werewolves. She' still not gone into work and she's becoming obsessed but she keeps hiding it from Monroe.

''Not this again.'' Monroe sighs.

''I saw something,'' Maria says, they've had this argument so many times over the past few days and Monroe keeps trying to get Nicholas to tell her. He keeps trying to deter her or say that it's because she'd hit her head but he knows himself that that isn't true.

''Maria, please.'' Monroe says and it's a half plead that makes Maria shut the laptop in a huff and pull out a book instead. She doesn't want to fight with him but she knows she saw something and she feels like she's going crazy. ''I'm going to the bar later, do you want to come?'' Monroe asks her gently. Maria looks up at him a little worried and shakes her head.

''I'll go home.'' _At least there I can research_, she adds mentally.

''You don't have to.'' Monroe says. ''Please come it's just me and a few of the guys.'' Maria shakes her head again and so Monroe gives up. Its 2 hours after Monroe has gone out and Maria decides that perhaps it's time to go out.

She needs to put this to bed otherwise she's going to lose Monroe and that's the last thing she wants. Maria gets dressed up, high heels and a black dress that she knows Monroe likes and does her hair so it tumbles around her shoulders. She feels good. A little worried, but good. She calls a cab but not Monroe intent on surprising him and pulls up at the bar a short time later.

Inside Monroe is drowning his sorrows, informing some of his friends of the dilemma he's having, they're generally chatting too about everything and anything. There's a woman joined them too, she's not unattractive and she keeps making eyes at Monroe but Monroe has one person on the brain, Maria. They all play a few drinking games and the bar picks up a little. Monroe wins a game of pool and suddenly the woman hugs him and pulls back before dragging him into a kiss, Monroe tries to push her off but she pulls him back into it. Monroe pushes her off a little hard and his heart drops into his stomach as he sees Maria stood at the door. All dressed up.

Maria feels sick, she's opened the door to find the man she's falling in love with, with his arms around some random woman, or perhaps she's not random. Perhaps he's found someone else. Maria swallows hard as her insides twist and she feels like a knife is being plunged into her heart. Maria's mouth is a little agape and she closes it as her brow furrows and she tries to keep her face straight, tries to keep composed and calm. Tears begin to pool in her eyes and she tries to stop them as she turns and walks away from the door.

''Maria! Maria wait!'' Monroe calls after her angrily shoving the woman aside. Maria stops but she doesn't turn around. ''Maria listen, it wasn't.'' Monroe begins and falters.

''You're, you're gunna tell me it's not how it looks, that it meant nothing. You're going to tell me it's nothing, too come back inside and you can explain.'' Maria says quietly.

''I can explain.'' Monroe says, his heart is beating incredibly fast and he's pretty sure his eyes are bleeding to red. He shakes it off and the urge to go back inside and rip that stupid girls head off. ''I-I don't even know her name.'' Monroe stammers.

''That makes it better, makes it better because I've not been myself too I suppose.'' Maria adds.

''No, no Maria please just, just listen to me.'' Monroe says desperately walking around the front of her. ''I don't even know her, she, she just, I won a game and she, she grabbed me.'' Monroe scrambles because he doesn't like how calm she's being despite the face there are tears rolling down her face and he can see her shaking.

''Just tell me why? I know, I know that, that this thing. This thing has been huge, but I did see something. I did Monroe and you have no idea what it's been like and I understand I've been a nightmare but, this, really?'' Maria's voice has gone slightly high-pitched now and he can see she's upset, panicked and angry.

''No, Maria, no I'd never-'' Monroe begins but she cuts him off.

''You just did. So what else are you lying to me about?'' She spits and Monroe physically recoils because that hurts. That really hurts but, there's a huge truth in there because he is lying to her but he's not doing it to hurt her. He's doing it because it's what her father wants and what he thinks is best.

''Maria, I'm not-'' Monroe begins.

''It's over. I'll get my stuff.'' Maria says firmly and she walks away from him. Monroe stares after her tears in his eyes and his heart breaking as she jumps into a cab and it drives off. She's not at home or her apartment when he tries, she doesn't answer his calls and three days later Harvey knocks on the door with a box of Monroe's things in his hands. Harvey holds his hands up to show he doesn't want to talk. He hands it over and leaves. Monroe fingers the shirt that's in there she's washed it, twice to try and get rid of her scent but it's still there. It's in his house, it's everywhere.

Maria spends a week curled up on the sofa upset, devastated and heartbroken. Harvey comes over to comfort her as does her dad but her dad is oddly distant. Guilt, that's what this is because Nicholas was half the reason for the tension and stress Monroe was under. Nicholas doesn't just doubt but he has it on good authority that Monroe didn't intentionally kiss anyone. Yet he keeps it too himself.

Three weeks later and Maria is pretty much back to her usual self. Back to work, burying herself in books and trying her hardest to forget about Monroe. Her heart aches for him, constantly but she hopes it'll disappear in time. She isn't a 100% sure on whether or not he was lying about the kiss anymore. The more she thinks about it though the more she thinks he was lying about something. The kiss, an affair, is all that springs to her mind.

Maria is sat reading a novel when there's a knock at the door. She opens it a little lazily expecting Harvey, the book still in her hand. It's not though, it's Monroe and he doesn't look his usual self. There's a bruise on his cheek and he looks rough. Monroe hasn't been sleeping properly. He's been throwing himself into work with Nick and not caring for his safety when he does. Monroe is heartbroken because he wasn't just falling. He was, no is, head over heels in love with Maria

''GO away.'' Maria says and tries to close the door but he puts his foot in the way.

''Maria please!'' He says, eyes shining with tears and a desperate look on his face. ''I need you.''

''It's a shame you didn't need me a month ago.'' Maria says and tries to shut the door again.

''Maria I love you, I'd never, I know you love me.'' Monroe says and Maria see's red. She opens the door but it's not an invitation in.

''You don't lie and cheat on someone you love.'' Maria spits at him. ''Now go away.'' She pushes him hard and slams the door putting the lock on. It hurts to see him like that, she wants to invite him in and take care of him but she can't. She has to stay strong because she doesn't deserve to be treated that way or perhaps she does. Perhaps she should just resign herself to the role of being a rich housewife, marry one of the men at her father's parties. Perhaps she should just resign herself to that life, a life without real love because it won't hurt as much.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =)**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or anything those wonderful people have created.**_

_**Maria however is my OC.  
**_

_**The title is taken from the inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes.**_

_**A/N: I'm sorry, I grovel at your feet I really do. I'm sorry for not updating. The rest of the story is in my head but I've just not had the motivation to write, or rather I have too many things I want to write. I just can't apologise enough.  
**_

* * *

It's been 6 months 3 days and four hours since he last saw Maria. Monroe knows that, of course he does he's a man who deals in time. The hurt hasn't ebbed, he thinks about her every day and almost every day he's tried to get in touch. Monroe has even been too see her father, pleading with him to tell her. Inform her he's not lying but he won't. Nicholas seems too think that Maria is better off without him.

Monroe is trying to get over it like Nick keeps suggesting but it's hard and it's made ever harder because he knows what she thinks of him and he knows that it's wrong. It makes everything worse because he just wants her to believe him. Monroe doesn't think his heart can twist and break anymore until he reads the announcement in the paper. _''Daughter of millionaire Nicholas Bloomsco is too marry award winning director Jacob Cassidy_.'' It's not even been a year and she's getting married, that doesn't sit right with Monroe because he knows her, he really knows her and if it were just romance she would have taken off to some small island not announced it in the paper. Tears pool in his eyes as he bangs his fist against the table and for the second time since she turned him away he upturns the dining living room table, launching it across the room and letting out a growl. The book case that they built together and all of the organisation that went into it is his next target. As though destroying the system, destroying the casing will make the memory of that first kiss disappear, the memory of that time they didn't quite make it to the bedroom or the floor and Maria gripped the shelving hard for purchase as he made her moan over and over again. He tears through the books, the living room before sighing and sliding down the wall until Nick finds him.

* * *

Maria has a newspaper in her hand, she's sat on the edge of her bed and she sighs deeply. She didn't want that putting in there. Harvey comes in and sits next to her. He doesn't say anything he just sits there for a moment before he speaks.

''You can't do this Cher.'' Harvey says softly. He knows, he knows that this is a marriage of convenience, there's no way she's in love with Jacob. The guys smooth and greasier than a plate of fries, he's not Maria's type, not at all. Harvey knows because Harvey is her best friend and he always has been.

''Can't do what?'' Maria asks looking up from the paper for a moment.

''You can't marry him Cher, you don't love him.'' Harvey says standing up and walking to the window of her room in her father's house.

''And he doesn't love me, it's perfect.'' Maria laughs it off but there's a truth in there. She won't admit it to herself let alone anyone else but this is marriage for marriages sake. She doesn't love Jacob but she does believe whole heartedly that Jacob loves her father's money. If she's married though her heart is off the market, she has to resign to a lifetime of being a trophy wife because that's all she's good for and real love? Real love hurts too much.

''Cher, I'm serious.'' Harvey says watching her closely. Maria remains silent though as though she hasn't heard him. ''Cher, you don't love him. I know that you know that so why are you doing this. He's out there you know, pining for you because he loves you. '' Maria rolls her eyes at him.

''Don't Harvey.'' Maria warns him.

''Cher, he didn't cheat on you, he didn't. He wouldn't.'' Harvey says because he knows that's true. Harvey wanted to prove it because he wants Maria too be truly happy and whilst he can understand why Nicholas is acting the way he is, he's also not afraid to stand up to him.

''He lied to me, he was lying to me.'' Maria says firmly.

''He didn't lie to you Maria. I understand why you think that, I know what happened with him getting beat up must have been scary-'' Maria shoots Harvey a look and he stops. Harvey realised exactly two months after they split why Maria's trust in Monroe has been so shaky. She doesn't know the full story about anything that's gone on and with her claiming to have seen something it's only made her more paranoid.

''Look, I am getting married in three days-'' Maria begins and Harvey cuts her off.

''Too a man you don't love.'' Harvey says.

''I love him.'' Maria says but there's reluctance to say it clear in her voice.

''Oh Cher,'' Harvey says sitting next to her. ''No you don't, you know how many times I wish you'd look at me the way you look at Monroe, that's love Cher, that's real love. All I ever wanted was you to be happy but that schmuck out there, he's not going to make you happy. I love you Cher but I know, I know I'm your best friend and I know someday I'm gunna find me a girl whose just for me. I see the way you look at him Cher and the way he looks at yo-''

''STOP!'' Maria jumps up and cuts him off throwing the paper onto the bed. ''I am getting married in three days, time. I am going to go on this stupid bridal party ''getaway'' and then I am going to come home and get married. I don't want to hear that man's name again and if you were my friend you'd respect that.'' Maria says firmly before leaving the room in a huff. Harvey runs a hand through his hair, he knows he's right. Maria's been hurt though, a lot, he's watched her fall in love before, he's watched her get her heartbroken and he's beat the ever living shit out of the asshole that did it too her when she was a teenager. He's threatened the guys that did it too her when she was older and he's watched her disappear into a sea of books and fiction. He's watched her keep her heart away from the world, apart from him and her family and then there was Monroe.

Harvey 'accidentally' texts Monroe the location of the bridal party getaway, it's an adventure day and night. Something Jacob's sister has booked, it's not Maria's taste but she hasn't had much say in anything, even the dress isn't really her dream dress. They start out in the woods at night, it's a hunt. There are clues and the first too reach the end wins a prize, the night air is relatively warm and most of them are dressed in khakis, vests and hoodies. None of them know what's waiting for them in that forest though, not really.

As wrong as it is Monroe has been hovering around the two cabins for a while, considering going in and then deciding against it. He just wants to talk to her. Harvey wouldn't have text him if he didn't think Maria wanted to talk.

The girls limber up outside and take off, half an hour later they are deep into the forest and half of them are split up, they run around and eventually Maria ends up alone. She's bored, annoyed and distracted but she can see the stars so she feels relatively safe, until she hears the snarl. It's like something torn from nightmares and the memory of being tied to that chair springs to mind. She takes off at a run. She doesn't care where she's going she just has to escape.

Monroe is sat against a tree contemplating everything when he thinks he hears a snarl, he takes off into the forest giving chase and not really caring for the consequences. He has to check that Maria is ok, he catches her scent and he catches the scent of the thing that's chasing her, because it is chasing her.

Maria throws herself behind a huge tree and flattens herself against it trying to make herself invisible. She's breathing deep and shallow trying desperately not to be heard but she can feel something near her, she can hear the ground rustling underfoot and she's seriously worried for her life right now. She braces herself when a hand suddenly goes over her mouth. Maria attempts to scream.

It's Monroe he looks into her eyes and whispers for her to stay where she is. Maria nods. He disappears and the next thing she hears is a yelp a snarling noise and is that flesh being torn apart? Maria claps a hand over her mouth, her heart threatening to jump out of her rib cage as tears stream down her face. She accepts her fate and there's a part of her that seems relieved, at least she'll be reunited with Monroe.

''I'm sorry.'' Maria whispers into the night as she hears the thing coming closer, the ground rustling under foot, a twig twitching, she feels sick but she has too stay against the tree. Maria closes her eyes and swallows slowly before opening them and finding Monroe before her.

''Oh man, are you ok?'' Monroe says placing a hand on her cheek. Adrenaline beating around her system Maria hits him hard she pushes him and slaps his chest until Monroe grabs her for her hands and that's when she does it. She pulls him into a frantic kiss. Monroe is powerless to the adrenaline beating around his own system and he kisses her back. It's fraught and urgent with no time to think about what they're doing and before he knows it Monroe has her bare legs hitched around his waist. She's moaning into the night her back scratching against the bark of the tree as pleasure replaces the adrenaline and beats around both their systems.

There's love there, they can both feel it. Every thrust every moan is laced with passion, with relief, with love and lust. More than want, it's need as though they've both been denied a basic human right for too long. Like a dehydrated human lost in the desert the other is the water they've been denied. Even when it's over they're still kissing, still holding each other.

* * *

Maria wakes up in the morning feeling a little heady, she didn't drink that much so it's not a hangover but it's something similar. Her back and neck ache from the forest floor and she nuzzles into the body next to her for a moment. A moment is all it takes though before she realises and jumps away from him.

Monroe has pulled her close to him in the night, shrugged off his jacket and utilised it as some form of blanket to keep her warm, maybe hoping it'll come away with the smell of her on it: Tea, coffee, books and something else. Something that's altogether just Maria, Maria starts to storm off and Monroe notices jumping up.

''Where are you going?'' Monroe asks the pain evident in his voice.

''I'm getting married, in two days I need to find my bridal party.'' Maria says and Monroe stops dead in his tracks because he'd hoped, he'd let himself believe that she was coming back to him. She had come back to him because he could feel it last night.

''You can't marry him.'' Monroe says on an exhale.

''I can, I love him you see.'' Maria says and there's a smug air to her voice that he doesn't like.

''You don't, you can't, Maria.'' Monroe's shoulders sag and he's completely defeated, there's one thing left for him to do. He no longer cares about the consequences. This whole thing is making them both miserable. The only thing that's stopped him is the relationship with her dad that she has, he doesn't want to ruin that and he doesn't want her to hate him. ''You did see something.'' Monroe says and Maria stops dead.

''You did, your dad, your mom, Harvey they all know you did.'' Monroe says heavily. ''Your dad didn't want you to know.'' Maria turns towards him slowly tears in her eyes.

''What do you mean?'' She asks her breathing shallow.

''I know what you saw, or would have seen.'' Monroe says quietly and he feels guilt and shame well inside him.

''No, no you said that was all in my head.'' Maria says pointing her finger.

''It's not, Maria, it's not.'' Monroe shakes his head as the morning sunlight breaks through the trees and destroys the orange haze of the sunrise. Maria is torn somewhere between intrigue and anger. Does he think this will win her back? She's curious though and that's overriding everything else.

''You told me it was all in my head.'' She breathes again.

''I know,'' Monroe nods, he goes to start several times and stops himself because he doesn't know how she's going to react but if he doesn't tell her now he's going to regret it.

''TELL ME!'' Maria shouts at him.

''Oh man how do I do this, ok.'' He pauses again. ''You know like you have vampires and werewolves? There's a race of us, we're called Wesen, your dad's one. We look like ordinary humans for the most part, but then well we have,'' Maria scoffs at him and he pauses the effort to tell her.

''And you what? Expect me to believe this?'' Maria lets out a laugh that doesn't sound right coming from her mouth, it's cold and nasty.

''I'm, I'm a blutbad.'' Monroe admits as he moves towards her. Maria raises an eyebrow and he hates the way she's looking at him. ''Please, Maria. You have to believe me, you have too.'' Monroe is racking his brains for help. ''Nick, Nicks a Grimm he can help explain.''

''Why don't you show me?'' Maria says. If he's telling the truth and what she saw was one of these wesen things then he should be able to change his face like they did.

''I, I can't.'' Monroe says quietly, he could do, of course he could but he doesn't want too. He's worried right now about how she might react. She's not in the best frame of mind and he's seen what revealing this sort of thing can do to the human mind and he's heard stories too.

''Oh right, right wait I get it.'' Maria says as in her mind things click into place. Monroe is trying to wriggle out of this whole mess by playing on what she told him that night in the car. About her believing there's more out there. A flicker of hope passes over Monroe's face before he realises her tone is anything but accepting. ''Now you're making fun of me too. Get away from me Monroe or so help me god I will scream so loudly half the police force will be out here.'' Maria growls at him.

''Maria I'm not, I'd never.'' Monroe is lost for words again.

''Why can't you just leave me alone?'' Maria asks him tears in her eyes. ''I trusted you, I believed that you actually, God, I, fell in love with you. I loved you, I trusted you with things I've barely mentioned to Harvey. I thought you cared about me Monroe. I never thought.'' Maria breaks off as her voice cracks.

''Maria, I love you.'' Monroe moves towards her and takes advantage of her moment of upset by taking her face between his hands. ''Maria please, I'd never make fun of you, I love you.''

''Then show me.'' Maria says fiercely pulling herself away from him. ''You know what it doesn't matter anyway.'' Maria adds. ''Even if this was all true and you weren't mocking me, you still lied to me.'' Maria has tears in her eyes her heart is breaking all over again and she just wants him to leave her alone. To disappear and stop trying because deep down inside her somewhere she knows that she still loves him. Still wants him, still needs him.

''No, no Maria there's a reason for that. I didn- oh man I didn't want to ruin what you and your dad have.'' Monroe admits.

''But now it's fair game?'' Maria questions, wiping her eyes.

''No, no but I can't, no Maria you know what I can live without you. I can, but I don't want to.'' Monroe says solemnly.

''Well, we don't always get the things that we want.'' Maria snaps. ''I am getting married. I am going to live a life where I don't have to let people like you take advantage of me. I loved you, I never got to tell you that but I did. I loved you and you, you didn't just break my heart because all I can put this down to, all of this. Is the fact you were having an affair and now, now you're trying to back track and you think because of things I've confessed to you that I'll be stupid enough to believe it.''

''What about last night?'' Monroe asks defeat almost evident in his voice.

''That meant nothing.'' Maria breathes looking away from him because it isn't true and Monroe can see it isn't true. Maria doesn't know why she admits the next thing she does, maybe it's because she does want Monroe to fight for her, maybe because she wants him to give up and slink away. ''I need to protect myself,'' Maria admits slowly, ''and if I'm married, if I'm married I don't have the option to give my heart away again. Please Monroe, leave me alone.'' Maria turns away from him and Monroe stands there with his heart at his feet on the forest floor.

He and Maria have never really spoken about heartbreak, it's never really come up and he's never had a lengthy enough conversation with Harvey for it to come up. Now however, her over reaction makes sense and where he was angry at her, where he was annoyed with her for not listening. Now things make sense somewhat and all it does is make his need to prove that he loves her more resilient. Her reasons for getting married aren't because she loves another man. Why else would she have just admitted what she did to him?

By the time Monroe has finished piecing things together in his mind and wondering about things he looks up to see Maria has gone. Monroe's jaw juts to the side a little as he looks off into the distance a plan, or a wondering forming in his mind. Perhaps he should just let her get on with it, perhaps he should just leave her alone. There's a battle, a vicious back and forth going on in his mind but by the time the morning of her wedding comes Monroe knows he can't. He has to try one last time. He needs to because then he really will have done everything he can to try and get her back.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed please let me know =)**_


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